Absconding from parole, fugitive murder convict nabbed after 4 years in Thoothukudi

MADURAI: A 57-year-old murder convict, who absconded from parole four years ago, was nabbed by police in Thoothukudi.

The life convict was identified as S Shanmugaiah of Katcheri Dhalavaipuram village in Ottapidaram of Thoothukudi district, sources said on Tuesday.

Shanmugaiah was accused for murder which occurred under the limits of Thoothukudi South police in 1985. After Shanmugiah was found guilty of the murder for gain, he’s imprisoned. On April 25 in 1990, the Additional Sessions Court in Thoothukudi sentenced Shanmugaiah to undergo life imprisonment.

Meanwhile, the accused was released on bail by the High Court on July 24 in 1992.

Later, the High Court on July 14 in 2000, confirmed the life sentence handed down by the trial court and was lodged in Palayamkottai central prison. After nearly twenty one years of incarceration, he was let out on a six-day parole from January 15 in 2019 on humanitarian grounds to see his ailing mother. But, Shanmugaiah promptly violated the parole conditions to avoid the penal system and remained absconding.

Based on a complaint lodged by Dharmalingam, prison officer, Palayamkottai, a case was registered by the Ottapidaram police on January 21 in 2019, since Shanmugaiah did not return to the prison. As per directive of Thoothukudi Superintendent of Police L Balaji Saravanan, a team led by Maniyachi DSP Lokeshwaran was formed to nab the parole violator, sources said.