In a dramatic turn of events, officials from the Kerala Excise Department successfully apprehended Ravin Chandelkar, a 28-year-old from Sarni, Madhya Pradesh, who had been on the run for six years after being granted bail in a ganja possession case. Chandelkar was initially arrested in 2018 in Ramanattukara, Kozhikode, with 2.05 kilograms of ganja. Though he was remanded at first, he later absconded, leading the court to issue an arrest warrant for his capture.
The Manhunt Unfolds
Under the leadership of Excise Circle Inspector T. Rajeev, a team consisting of Assistant Excise Inspector T.K. Sahadevan, Preventive Officer C.P. Shaju, and Civil Excise Officer K.K. Rasoon Kumar travelled to Madhya Pradesh, armed with little more than Chandelkar’s last known address. Upon arrival, they sought assistance from the Sarni police, who provided them with a constable and a vehicle to facilitate the investigation. Despite challenges, such as the fact that Chandelkar did not use a phone, local police and the cyber cell eventually helped the team locate and arrest him.
Tense Railway Station Drama
The real challenge, however, came during the effort to transport Chandelkar back to Kerala. The team, with the accused in custody, boarded a train from Ghoradongri to Itarsi, intending to transfer to another train bound for Kozhikode. Upon arrival at Itarsi, they faced a nine-hour wait for their next train. During this time, more than 20 individuals attempted to free Chandelkar, creating a highly dangerous situation for the unarmed officers.
Fortunately, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) stepped in, moving the team and their detainee to safer quarters for the night. Even after boarding the train the next morning, the assailants followed, but a strategic decision to have Chandelkar speak with them on the phone managed to defuse the situation. After a tense 38-hour journey, the team safely returned to Kerala, where Chandelkar was remanded by the Vadakara NDPS Court.
