UP: Fugitive caught 13 years after dramatic jail escape

India Dec 30, 2025

Sandeep Mishra, now 45, was finally arrested by Banda police after vanishing for 13 years.
Back in 2012, he and 12 others escaped from police custody during a transfer from court back to Banda jail—using chili powder against guards, grabbing a rifle, and firing shots before disappearing.

How police finally tracked him down

Mishra managed to stay hidden by moving often and working under the fake name "Pappu Tiwari" in Pune.
After six months of careful surveillance, police got their break when his wife called relatives in UP about their son's wedding—details that matched Mishra's family.
That tip led officers to confirm his identity and arrest him in Banda on December 27.
All the other escapees had already been caught by 2015.