North Lakhimpur: Lakhimpur Police have arrested a 90-year-old man who had been absconding for nearly eight years in a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The accused, identified as Abdul Matlib, was arrested from his residence at No. 1 Ahmedpur village under the Bangalmora Police Outpost after police received information about his return home to meet his family.
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Matlib was booked under the POCSO Act in 2018 in connection with a case involving the alleged molestation of a minor. He was 82 years old when the case was registered and had remained on the run since then, reportedly evading arrest for almost eight years. According to police, a search was launched after the accused failed to appear before the authorities. Investigators eventually tracked him down after receiving information that he had returned to his family residence.
Following his arrest, Matlib was taken into custody by Lakhimpur Police. Further legal proceedings are underway in accordance with the law. The arrest is notable as Matlib, now 90, is believed to be among the oldest persons arrested in Assam in connection with a case registered under the POCSO Act. The case also highlights the challenges faced by law-enforcement agencies in tracing accused persons who remain absconding for prolonged periods.
