A high-speed chase, a daring escape from a moving train and then, a disappearance into the dark waters of a pond. For nearly five hours, police searched in vain as one of the country’s most wanted thieves vanished without a trace. What they didn’t realise was that he was right beneath them all along, breathing through a lotus stem, hidden underwater in a desperate bid to escape arrest. The accused, identified as Harvinder Singh, is wanted in multiple states and is linked to hundreds of theft cases, police said.
The chase began after he allegedly stole a woman’s purse from an AC coach of a train near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. As the train slowed down near Sihora station, he jumped from the moving train and attempted to flee.
To escape pursuing officers, he jumped into a nearby pond, taking advantage of darkness and thick algae cover to conceal himself.
Thief Hid Underwater For Hours
Police said the accused remained underwater for hours, initially evading detection. It was later discovered that he had been using a hollow lotus stem to draw oxygen from above the surface.
Divers were subsequently called in to assist with the search. After an operation lasting nearly five hours, the accused was located and taken into custody.
Identity Uncovered After Attempts To Mislead
Officials said the suspect repeatedly tried to mislead investigators by changing his name. However, his identity was eventually confirmed through an old photograph.
He was identified as a resident of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh and had even contested a local civic election as an independent candidate in 2017.
Long Criminal Record Across Several States
Police said the accused is wanted in at least eight states and is linked to more than 400 theft cases. He allegedly targeted passengers in AC train coaches and often hid in washrooms to avoid ticket checks.
They added that he often hid in train washrooms to avoid detection during ticket checks. In an earlier case in 2018, authorities reportedly recovered diamonds and jewellery worth over Rs 70 lakh from him, along with a licensed revolver and cash allegedly stolen from a passenger aboard the Avantika Express.
Further investigation is underway.