Mumbai: The Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar (MBVV) Crime Branch Unit 2 arrested a 40-year-old fugitive in Bengaluru who was wanted for a 2008 murder in Vasai. During interrogation, the accused, Niranjankumar aka Ranjan aka Akshay Vijay Shukla, confessed to an even more gruesome crime, killing four of his family members in West Bengal back in 2002.

Accused Had Murdered 4 Family Members In 2002

Shukla's first crime took place in Haldia, West Bengal, where his father, a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, was posted. According to a Times of India report citing his confession, his mother had passed away and his father later remarried.

Shukla claimed that his stepmother mistreated him, leading him to commit the brutal murders. On February 26, 2002, inside their CISF quarters, he killed his stepmother, his two minor stepsisters (aged 7 and 6) and his 2-year-old stepbrother before fleeing the state.

About 2008 Vasai Murder

After escaping West Bengal, Shukla moved to Karnataka and later settled in Maharashtra, residing in Vasai. He then befriended Manoj Saha and started a paint business with him. However, tensions arose between them while constructing a house, particularly over a dispute regarding a common wall. On the night of March 26, 2008, Shukla allegedly murdered Saha by strangling him with a shoelace and repeatedly banging his head against a wall.

One Small Mistake Led To Arrest

Shukla managed to evade capture for over 16 years by frequently changing his identity and location. However, his past finally caught up with him due to a crucial mistake. A friend suggested he complete his Know Your Customer (KYC) documentation to facilitate a property sale in Bihar. When he registered for a voter ID card, he unknowingly placed himself on the police radar.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Madan Ballal told TOI, "We closely monitored his relatives and childhood friends, gathering technical evidence that eventually led to his capture."

Currently, Shukla is in Manikpur police custody as investigations continue. Authorities are now coordinating with West Bengal police to verify his confessions regarding the 2002 family murders.