NAVI MUMBAI, Oct. 5 -- The police recently arrested a 27-year-old murderer who had fled to the Indo-Nepal border after killing one of his friends in Raigad district following a dispute over repayment of Rs.6,000 last month. The murder took place on September 11, at Devanhave village in Khalapur taluka, Raigad district. The accused, Akhtar Habib Baitha, is based in Pirokhar village in Madhubani district and was looking for a job. According to the police, the deceased, Paras Harihar Singh, 50, also from Bihar, had lent Rs.6,000 to the accused. He demanded that Baitha repay him soon. Enraged, Baitha allegedly struck Singh on the back of his head with a stone, causing fatal injuries. He then abandoned the injured man and fled. Superintendent of Police Aanchal Dalal said, "It was a murder committed over a mere Rs.6,000. The accused had taken the amount as he was jobless, and he fled immediately after the crime. Tracking him across multiple states and eventually to the Indo-Nepal border required persistent coordination and careful intelligence work." After the murder, Baitha and his wife reportedly travelled through Thane, Dahanu, Surat, and Ahmedabad, frequently switching locations and shutting off his phone to avoid detection. Despite the lack of concrete leads, the Khopoli Police continued to pursue the case. A special team led by Assistant Police Inspector Sujit Gadade received a tip-off that the accused had crossed into Mahottari, Nepal, and that he would him to return to meet his relatives near the border. "The police team coordinated with local units and laid a trap, successfully arresting Baitha on September 29, at around 2.45p.m.," said an investigating officer. SP Dalal further said, "The accused confessed to the murder during interrogation and was remanded to police custody until October 4, 2025. Further investigation into his movements and possible associates is ongoing." Sameera Kapoor Munshi...