Two decades of manhunt ends: 2002 Ganjam murder accused arrested in Surat

The prime accused in the 2002 Polasara murder case in Ganjam district has finally been arrested after being on the run for the past two decades. Sachindra Sahani, wanted for the murder of Lingraj Patra, was tracked down and detained by the Gujarat Crime Branch from the Pandesara area of Surat.

According to police sources, Sahani had been living in Surat for the past 23 years under multiple false identities. To evade arrest, he frequently changed his name, sometimes introducing himself as ‘Rahul’, at other times as ‘Trinath’. During this period, he worked in various private companies while maintaining a low profile to avoid detection.

After the murder and subsequent unrest in Polasara in 2002, Sahani fled Odisha and settled in Surat. However, Odisha Police continued to track his trail meticulously over the years. Their sustained efforts eventually yielded results when the Gujarat Crime Branch located and apprehended him.

Police officials noted that despite Sahani’s prolonged attempts to outsmart the system, he could not remain outside the reach of the law forever. His arrest marks a major breakthrough in a case that has remained unresolved for over two decades.

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Further legal procedures are underway, and Odisha Police are expected to bring him back to the state on transit remand for interrogation and continuation of the trial process.