A police 'motocross' thriller along Indo-Bangla border

Days ago, on a foggy morning along the treacherous bends of the Padma River, the India-Bangladesh border dissolves into uncertainty as a Kerala police team closes in on their elusive target in their style.

- TONY ANTONY

For over five years, Shahin Molla, accused of a brutal murder in Kochi, had evaded justice. This time, there would be no escape.

Shahin vroomed on a motorcycle towards the riverbank; it was apparent to the officers that he would abandon the bike, dive into the icy waters, and disappear across the international border. They were in no mood for a dramatic escape. Officers intercepted their two-wheeler, sending him sprawling to the ground.

This dramatic end was the culmination of months of frustration, meticulous planning, and an unrelenting pursuit that took the officers 2,000km to the border.

A quick flashback to 2019 in Kochi, where it all started. Shahin Molla, 38, had migrated from West Bengal in 2018 to Kerala. He worked as a daily wager under a contractor and shared a house in Mattancherry with 58-year-old Mani, a resident of Vattiyoorkavu in Ananthapuram.