Retired cop known for serial killer Raman Raghav's arrest dies
Retired Assistant Commissioner ofPolice (ACP) Alex Fialho, credited for the arrest of dreadedserial killer Raman Raghav in Mumbai in 1968, died at hisresidence here, a police official said on Saturday.
He was 92.
He breathed his last on Friday, the official said.
Fialho is survived by his wife, sons, daughter andgrand children. His last rites were performed at St AndrewsChurch in Bandra, he said.
Fialho had detected several cases, but he is bestremembered for the arrest of serial killer Raman Raghav, forwhich he was awarded with the Presidents Police Medal.
Fialho, who was a police sub inspector (PSI) posted atDongri Police Station at that time, had apprehended Raghavfrom Bhendi Bazar area of South Mumbai in 1968.
After the arrest, Raghav had confessed to committingat least 41 murders. Most of his victims were pavement and hutdwellers.
Raghav terrorized Mumbai between 1966 and 1968, duringwhich he bludgeoned to death several poor men and women with ahard and blunt object like an iron rod while they were asleep,police said.
Fialho had apprehended Raghav in September 1968 merelyon the basis of suspicion, a police official said.
“The police had launched a nationwide hunt for Raghav.
PSI Fialho had studied the serial killing case and he used tocarry the photo of Raghav along with him,” he said.
“When Fialho spotted Raghav in Mumbai, the latter wasin blue shirt, khaki pant and canvas shoes. Raghav wascarrying an umbrella. As Fialho wanted to see his reaction onspotting a police officer in uniform, he went close to Raghav.
But on seeing him, Raghav crossed him and walked calmly,” theofficial said.
“Fialho then turned around and started following him.
After walking some distance, he tapped Raghav on his back andasked him to come with him. As the umbrella that Raghav wascarrying was wet although it was not raining in that area,Fialho verified and found out that it was raining in Maladsuburb,” he added.
“He was informed that the man with that descriptionwas last spotted in Malad area. He then took Raghav to policequarters in Dongri for interrogation, where he identifiedhimself as Sindhi Dalvai. On verification, it came to lightthat this was one of Raghavs assumed name and fingerprintsexperts also confirmed his identity,” the official said.
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