In a significant breakthrough, the Valsad police have successfully apprehended two murder convicts who were serving life sentences and had been absconding for several years after failing to return from temporary release. The duo, who had developed a relationship while incarcerated, were tracked down and arrested from their hideout in Haryana.
From Prison Romance to Fugitive Life
The arrested individuals have been identified as Kinnari Patel (36) and Riyaz Mansuri (38). According to police officials, the two got acquainted and their relationship blossomed while they were serving their respective life terms at the Lajpore Central Jail (LCJ) in Surat. They reportedly hatched a plan to build a life together once they secured temporary release from the prison.
Patel, a resident of Lilapore village in Valsad, was convicted in November 2013 for the murder of her husband, Hitesh. Mansuri was convicted in June 2012 for a murder case registered in 2009 at the Limbayat police station in Surat. Both were serving their sentences at the same facility.
The Disappearance and Manhunt
The sequence of their temporary release and subsequent disappearance has been detailed by the police. Kinnari Patel was granted furlough on October 9, 2017. She was required to return to jail after 15 days but never did. This led the Valsad rural police station to register an offence under the Prison Act against her in 2019.
Similarly, Riyaz Mansuri was released on parole on May 28, 2018. He too violated the conditions of his release by not returning to the jail by the stipulated due date. Following this, a case was registered at the Limbayat police station in the same year.
Life on the Run and Final Capture
After absconding, the couple managed to evade authorities for years. Police investigations finally traced them to Vikas Nagar in Panipat, Haryana, where they had been living together. To sustain themselves, they were operating a small business selling carpets and bedsheets.
Acting on this intelligence, a team from the Valsad police moved in and took the fugitives into custody on Wednesday. Following their arrest, both Kinnari Patel and Riyaz Mansuri were formally sent back to the Lajpore Central Jail to complete their life sentences.
A police officer involved in the operation stated, "They came in contact during their imprisonment and grew close. They planned to live together after securing temporary release from jail." The arrest marks the end of a long search for the convicts who attempted to start anew far from Gujarat.
