Dead on paper, man arrested 27 years after killing of Agra cops

Nearly three decades after the killing of two police personnel during a sensational instance of robbery in Uttar Pradesh's Agra, the law has finally caught up with the main accused, who has been arrested from Madhya Pradesh after being found living under a fake identity.Bhura, who was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, had been absconding for 27 years. He was recently arrested in Bhopal after the police laid a trap to catch him. To evade arrest all these years, he allegedly faked his death by manipulating government records.The case dates back to 1999, when a robbery attempt on some police personnel in Agra ended with the death of two of them, officials said. After the incident, Bhura fled Agra and spent some years living in forests to evade cops.He later moved to Madhya Pradesh's Itarsi, where he worked as a labourer to earn a living. He then shifted to Bhopal, worked in construction for some time, and eventually became a truck driver. NEW IDENTITY, NEW FAMILYWhile on the run, Bhura allegedly changed his name to Jameel, and married a woman and also had children with her. The police said that he made every possible effort to erase his real identity.He even had himself officially declared dead and deliberately avoided all contact with his birth family and relatives for years so that no one would discover he was still alive. Despite all his efforts, the elaborate deception was eventually uncovered by the police in Agra after a former associate of the absconder was released from prison. The ex-aide met with Bhura's brother-in-law at a gathering where alcohol was being consumed.There, he mentioned that he had spoken to Bhura about two years earlier. The information reached the police in Agra, and a network of informants was subsequently activated. The police also relied on technical surveillance to track Bhura.After several days of investigating leads, the police laid a trap in Bhopal and finally managed to arrest him. Following the arrest, Bhura initially tried to mislead investigators by invoking his assumed identity. However, he admitted his true identity following intensive questioning, officials said.Investigators are now questioning him about his activities during the years he remained on the run, the people who sheltered him, and any other possible accomplices. His arrest has helped police secure a key link in one of Agra's oldest and most widely discussed criminal cases.- Ends(Based on inputs from Nitin Updhayay)Published On: Jul 19, 2026 08:11 IST