A crime branch team had to volunteer at a bhandara (food distribution centres at temples) for three days before they could arrest a 77-year-old man in Haridwar accused of killing a man 27 years ago in Delhi's Okhla.
Delhi's Okhla police said they arrested the man on Tuesday after acting as volunteers and distributing food for three days to identify the accused.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) Amit Goel said that the accused was identified as Ramdas alias Tillu, PTI reported.
He was absconding after the alleged murder of a truck helper over a property dispute in 1997.
Acting on a tip-off that Ramdas could be living in Rishikesh they nabbed him on Tuesday.
During interrogation it was revealed that Ramdas went to Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur after committing the crime. Over there he changed his identity and procured a fake identity card.
He then pretended to be a sadhu, wearing their garments and travelling to various pilgrimage centres, including Haridwar and Rishikesh, Goel said.
The officer said the team conducted field recce in Rishikesh near his last location and worked in temple bhandaras near the location.
After three days of work the team identified Ramdas and nabbed him near Geeta Bhawan in Rishikesh, Goel said.
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