Thane: The Vishnunagar Police have arrested a murder accused who had been evading capture for over two and a half years. Deepak Sahebrao Karkade (28) was nabbed from Nanded district on Thursday in a carefully planned undercover operation.
The Crime and Investigation
The case dates back to November 27, 2023, when the body of Somnath Babu Shinde was discovered near a creek at Devichapada, Dombivli (West). The victim had sustained severe head injuries. A case was registered under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code at Vishnunagar Police Station.
Initial investigations led to the arrest of two accomplices — Vilan Vishnu Thavare (41) and Yogesh Timappa Dongre (42), both residents of Dombivli (West). During interrogation, the duo confessed that they, along with Karkade, had bludgeoned Shinde to death with a stone following a minor dispute. While the two were charge-sheeted, Karkade managed to flee and remained at large for nearly 30 months, frequently changing his location to avoid detection.
The Undercover Operation
Acting on mobile surveillance and informant intelligence, a police team led by Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Lokhande tracked Karkade to Wategaon in Nanded district. Officers disguised as farmers laid a trap and apprehended him at around 4:45 pm on Thursday.
Karkade, a native of Pegar Gavhan in Parbhani district, is currently in police custody. The operation involved personnel from Vishnunagar and Manpada police stations.
