Bengaluru: He changed his name, stopped using a mobile phone, avoided keeping an Aadhaar card, and even skipped his daughter’s wedding to stay off police radar. But after seven years on the run, a 54-year-old life convict who jumped parole was finally arrested by Parappana Agrahara police at Bagepalli, in Chikkaballapur district, on Oct 14.Narasimha Reddy, a native of Pavagada, had been absconding since 2018 after securing parole on the grounds that his mother was unwell.Narasimha was convicted in a 2013 murder-and-robbery case in Pavagada, where a gang broke into a house, killed its owner and made away with gold ornaments. Police arrested the accused persons, including Narasimha and domestic worker Rama, in connection with the crime. Following trial, the accused were sentenced to life imprisonment.On Sept 7, 2019, Narasimha secured parole for 30 days. He then got a 30-day extension. He was supposed to return by Nov 26, 2019, but went on the run instead. Parappana Agrahara police launched a search to trace him, even travelling to Andhra Pradesh and spending several days in disguise as vegetable vendors and daily-wage labourers to gather information about his whereabouts. However, their initial efforts went in vain.Six months ago, police issued a lookout notice and announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest. Police inspector Naveen GM and his team made a breakthrough recently when they received information that Narasimha had visited a hospital in his native Kannampalli in Kolar. A team gathered information and managed to nab him.Investigators found that he had changed his name to Srinivasa Reddy in Anantapur district of AP and was selling liquor illegally. Narasimha is now back in Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara.
