Aizawl: A 20-year-old murder accused, who escaped from police custody early Tuesday, was recaptured on Thursday after a three-day manhunt involving police, volunteers, and local community organizations, police said on Friday.
Denghmingthanga, a resident of Mualthuam North village in Lunglei district, escaped at around 1 am on Tuesday from Lunglei police station, where he was being held on police remand for further questioning.
He had been arrested on August 20 along with an accomplice for his alleged involvement in the killing of a teenage girl, whose body was found near a state-run middle school in Mualthuam North on August 5, two days after she went missing.
Following his escape, police, Young Mizo Association (YMA) volunteers, local leaders, and village vigilantes launched an intensive search after CCTV footage showed him moving towards Rahsi Veng locality in Lunglei, police said.
Searchers combed several localities across Lunglei, surrounding villages, and nearby jungle areas.
Denghmingthanga was located at around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday in a farm hut near Vanhne village by a joint team of police and local vigilantes led by the Lunglei Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO).
He was brought back to Lunglei, medically examined, and produced before a Judicial Magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody.
Meanwhile, the government has suspended naik T. Zonunfela, who was on duty at Lunglei police station when Denghmingthanga escaped.