A man hailing from Odisha has been apprehended by the Chennai Police after 28 years following allegations that he committed the heinous act of killing his mother-in-law and attempting to murder his wife and brother-in-law.
The individual in question, identified as Harihara Patta Joshi, 54, stands accused of the murder of his mother-in-law and the attempted murder of his wife and brother-in-law. This incident, dating back 28 years, came to light when a special team of Chennai Police employed a black-and-white photograph taken three decades ago to aid in the arrest.
Joshi, originally from Odisha, had initially arrived in Chennai in 1993 for employment purposes and subsequently entered into matrimony in 1994. However, the marital relationship turned tumultuous, leading to frequent altercations. Eventually, Joshi's wife relocated to her mother's residence and initiated divorce proceedings.
On August 9, 1995, in a fit of rage, Joshi allegedly visited his mother-in-law's residence, where he purportedly stabbed his wife, her brother, and her mother. While the wife and her brother survived the assault with injuries, the mother-in-law succumbed to the stabbing.
A case was promptly registered at the Adambakkam Police Station, instigating a search for the accused. Despite multiple visits to Joshi's hometown in Odisha between 1996 and 2006, law enforcement agencies were unsuccessful in locating him. A charge sheet was filed, and a warrant was duly issued.
Recently, during a review of unsolved cases, Joshi's case came to the forefront, prompting a dedicated team led by Sub-Inspector Kannan to reinitiate efforts to apprehend him. Utilizing a black-and-white photograph taken when Joshi was 22 years old, the team collaborated with Ganjam Superintendent of Police Saravanan Vivek and the Odisha Police.
Following an exhaustive two-week search involving visits to various locations and inquiries, the accused was successfully located. Subsequent investigations revealed that Joshi had entered into another marriage in Behrampur and was presently residing with his new wife.
