A murder convict, who is also an ex-army man, has been arrested after 25 years in Tamil Nadu’s Salem district. In 1997, a land dispute arose between Lakshmanan of Periyavadakampatti near Omalur in Salem district and Venkattan of the same town. Owing to this, on July 7, 1997, farmer Lakshmanan succumbed to his injuries at a government hospital when Venkattan with his two sons, Dhanapal and Venugopal allegedly attacked him. Apparently, the Deevattipatti police registered a case and arrested Venkattan and his son Dhanapal in connection with the murder. But Venugopal, another son of Venkattan, went absconding. Police were in search in several places but did not know the whereabouts of Venugopal. The case was heard in the Salem court, where Venkattan and son Dhanapal were sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment. Meanwhile, the court also issued a warrant to arrest Venkattan’s eldest son Venugopal, who was absconding. After four years of imprisonment, Venkattan and Dhanapal are currently out of prison. However, Venugopal could not be traced by the police. Salem District Superintendent of Police Shri Abhinav took serious action to catch the culprit. Accordingly, the special team of police were actively searching for Venugopal. It was then revealed that Venugopal had rented a house in the Salem Kurangu Chavadi area and lived with his wife and daughters. Following this, Venugopal was arrested by the special team on December 25.Eventually, the investigation has revealed startling information that during the 25 years when Venugopal was absconding, he served the Indian Army for 24 years. Venugopal has been serving in the Indian Army since 1989, and the murder took place when he visited his hometown for holiday in 1997. Following the incident, Venugopal returned to the Army.But then the police did not know where Venugopal was. The present investigation has revealed that Venugopal lived with his wife and children in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh at that time when serving the Army. Venugopal retired from the Army in 2019. Police have now arrested him when he was living with his family in a rented house in the Kurangu Chavadi area near Salem without going back to his hometown after the incident. Venugopal has been produced in the Salem court and remanded in custody.Venugopal has been serving in the Army has come as a shock to the police. The Salem District Superintendent of Police is investigating with the police that when Venugopal went absconding, why did the police not investigate properly and why did they not investigate where Venugopal worked.Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here.