January 27, 2025: In a dramatic turn of events, a 22-year-old smuggler evading arrest for over a year and a half was apprehended on Sunday while participating in the holy dip at the Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.

The accused, identified as Pravesh Yadav, a resident of Alwar district in Rajasthan, had been on the run since July 2023 after being implicated in a liquor smuggling case. His arrest was confirmed by Superintendent of Police (SP) of Bhadohi, Abhimanyu Manglik, who highlighted the role of enhanced police surveillance in apprehending the fugitive.

According to SP Manglik, Yadav had managed to escape from authorities on July 29, 2023, during a vehicle check on National Highway-19 in the Unj police station area of Bhadohi. At the time, police had seized a consignment of adulterated liquor being smuggled from Alwar to Bihar. Two of Yadav’s accomplices, Pradeep Yadav and Raj Domoliya, were arrested, but Pravesh managed to evade capture.

The trio, all residents of Alwar, were allegedly part of a network smuggling illegal and adulterated liquor into Bihar. The seized consignment had been intended for sale in the state, which is under prohibition laws.

Following the July incident, a case was registered against the accused under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), and 471 (using forged documents as genuine), as well as sections of the Excise Act and Gangster Act. Charges of food adulteration under Sections 272 and 273 of the IPC were also pressed.

Pravesh Yadav’s arrest on Sunday came as he joined lakhs of pilgrims at the Maha Kumbh, seeking a holy dip believed to cleanse one of sins. However, the police, aided by meticulous monitoring, arrested him in the Civil Lines area of the city, ensuring that his time on the run came to an end.

The authorities have lauded the vigilance and effective coordination of law enforcement in Prayagraj for this arrest, ensuring that even amidst the spiritual fervor of the Maha Kumbh, no criminal activity goes unnoticed.