Forest safer than prison: Kerala police arrest theft-accused who lived in the wilds for 27 years

It was just after midnight last week when a police team from the Ullikkal police station in Kannur entered the dense forests of Papplasseri at Kenichira in Wayanad—an area known for frequent sightings of elephants, tigers and leopards. Armed with flashlights and trekking poles, the officers walked nearly a kilometre into the forest, beyond the point accessible by vehicle, on a mission they had failed to accomplish for nearly three decades: the arrest of Harilal (51), who faced a long-pending non-bailable warrant.

Harilal, a native of Kenichira, had been absconding since 1999 in connection with a theft case involving more than ₹9,500 registered at the Ullikkal police station. Arrested along with three others and remanded to the Thalassery sub-jail at the age of 24, he had secured interim bail but failed to appear before the court thereafter. While the other accused obtained bail and were discharged, Harilal vanished. The case, initially heard by the District and Sessions Court in Mattannur, was later transferred to the Thalassery court.

Repeated attempts to nab Harilal during daylight had failed. Police were certain that if he sensed their presence, he would disappear into the forest within seconds, making pursuit impossible. This time, they waited until they were confident he was asleep before moving in and arresting him from the dilapidated shed inside the forest where he had been living.

According to police, Harilal returned to his native village after going into hiding but avoided public attention. “Only a few villagers knew he lived there, and none were aware that he was an accused in a criminal case,” police sources said. With both parents deceased and no contact with his two sisters—who live in Wayanad—Harilal chose to stay in an abandoned shed deep inside the forest. The structure was located in what had once been an agricultural area in the forest, abandoned by farmers years ago due to repeated wildlife intrusions.

“He had been living in the forest for about 27 years,” said a cop. “Our earlier attempts showed that arresting him during the day was impossible. The moment he saw us, he would run into thorny bushes or dense bamboo groves, where tracking him became extremely difficult.”

Despite living in isolation, Harilal managed to earn a living as a tree cutter. He would leave the forest around 6 am, return by afternoon, and occasionally step out again to buy essentials. He cooked his own food, sometimes ate at nearby hotels, and frequently visited a BEVCO outlet, police said.

Several searches conducted over the years yielded no results. On two occasions, police teams spotted him during daylight, but he escaped within seconds. “In one instance, he even brandished tree-cutting tools at officers before fleeing. His refusal to use a mobile phone further complicated efforts to track him,” the cop said. “He was not afraid of wild animals. The forest has elephants, tigers and leopards, but he moved confidently. He never wore footwear, yet ran swiftly through difficult terrain. He knew the forest exceptionally well,” the officer added.

Determined to succeed, the police planned a night operation. Officers travelled in mufti in a private vehicle from Kannur to Wayanad, reached the area by noon on January 29, informed the local police and carried out a discreet inspection. After confirming the location of the shed—which had no proper door—they waited until midnight. Since he used machetes and axes for work, the cops were extremely cautious. After midnight, in the wee hours of January 30, the officers walked into the forest with flashlights. Harilal was asleep inside the shed. The cops entered swiftly, handcuffed him immediately and outpowered him before he could react.

After being produced before the court, Harilal was remanded to judicial custody. Police later informed his sisters. “Surprisingly, though he had no contact with them for years, he remembered their phone numbers by heart,” said a cop. The sisters did not visit him, police added, as the offence is non-bailable and they can’t take him home.

According to officers, Harilal told them after his arrest that he had always known the police would eventually succeed. “He said he was not afraid of wild animals, but believed that one day the police would catch him,” said an official. The arrest team included Assistant Sub Inspector Rajesh and Civil Police Officers Shaji P P, Biju Payam, and was led by Circle Inspector V M Dolly.