Fugitive Drug Supplier Caught Posing as 'Holy Man' After Three Years on the Run

Hanumangarh, Rajasthan:
A notorious drug supplier who had been on the run for over three years has finally been captured after disguising himself as a wandering ascetic to evade arrest.

Purna Ram Sharma had been wanted since March 2023, when his name surfaced during a police investigation into a heroin trafficking racket. Three men – Navin, Tarachand, and Surendra – were arrested with 115 grams of heroin valued at ₹46 lakh. During interrogation, they identified Sharma as the main supplier. A manhunt ensued, but he managed to vanish without a trace—until now.

To avoid detection, Sharma adopted the guise of an ascetic, donning black robes and moving between holy sites known for occult practices. He lived in remote huts near the Ujjain temple in Madhya Pradesh, Kamakhya temple in Assam, Tarapith in West Bengal, and even Varanasi’s Kaal Bhairav temple.

“He claimed to be repenting and engaging in spiritual practices,” said Subhash Kachchava, Inspector at Hanumangarh Town Police Station. “But it was all a clever ruse. He doesn’t use drugs himself; he was deep in the supply network, likely sourcing heroin from Punjab to sell in Rajasthan.”

Authorities had placed a ₹5,000 bounty on Sharma, who now faces prosecution under two cases filed against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Hanumangarh and neighbouring Ganganagar, both bordering Punjab, have witnessed a worrying rise in drug-related crimes. In just the past two months, heroin worth ₹6 crore has been seized in Hanumangarh alone, with 113 arrests and over 90 NDPS cases registered.

Sharma's arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the region’s ongoing battle against narcotics trafficking.