India, March 19 -- In a major breakthrough, Raigad police have arrested a 41-year-old man who had been on the run for 21 years in a 2005 murder case, tracking him down to Panvel after sustained technical surveillance.

The accused, Manoj Ashok Pandav, was arrested on Monday. Police said he had worked across states such as Odisha and Gujarat while evading arrest and had even purchased a house in Panvel four years ago.

"Despite multiple efforts over the years, the accused managed to evade arrest. Recently, with technical analysis and tracking, we zeroed in on his location in Panvel," said Assistant Police Inspector Sujit Gadde of Poynad Police Station.

The case dates back to April 2005, when Prasad Ganesh Thakur, 34, was hacked to death w...