It may sound like a film story but it is true. A 65-year-old fugitive who managed to evade the law for 30 years as a murder accused, was finally arrested by the special task force of Haryana police on July 31. In the intervening time, he had become a small-time actor who worked in regional and Hindi films. He changed his name from Om Prakash to Pasha and worked under the new name in films, doing bit roles. An STF team intercepted him near his house in Ghaziabad on July 31, 2022. Although he looked nothing like the photograph which the police had, he was arrested by the police following weeks of phone surveillance and finally an admission by the man himself that he was Om Prakash of Panipat.
The case, dating back to 1992, was as good as abandoned as the accused had vanished into thin air. Om Prakash worked in the Signal Corps of the Army for a few years but was dismissed in 1988 for remaining absent for four years. He then reportedly turned to crime and got involved in thefts and snatching. He stole cars, motorcycles, scooters and sewing machines. In 1992, when he was 35 years old, Om Prakash allegedly stabbed one Dharampal who was riding a bike, during an attempt to rob him in Bhiwani (Haryana).