CHITTORGARH,When wanted and notorious criminals began changing tactics to evade police surveillance, the Chittorgarh Police adopted an unconventional strategy — changing their own identities.

In a series of undercover operations, police personnel posed as confectioners, priests, auto-rickshaw drivers and even street-food vendors to track down suspects and wanted criminals.

The operations were carried out after conventional surveillance failed to immediately locate some accused who had been evading arrest for years.

Case 1: ASI Posed as Confectioner

In 2024, police were looking for a suspect who had been absconding for six years in a case involving the seizure of 80 kilograms of doda poppy husk during a checkpoint operation.

The wanted suspect, identified as Anil, was believed to be moving around Behror in Rajasthan's Kotputli-Behror district.

An ASI, Suraj Kumar, went undercover as a confectioner after receiving information that the suspect frequently visited a particular shop. Police took the shopkeeper into confidence, allowing the officer to work at the shop while quietly keeping watch.

When the suspect arrived, the police team identified and arrested him.

Case 2: Cops Disguised as Priests

In another 2024 operation, police were tracking a wanted criminal who had escaped while on parole in connection with an old robbery case.

The accused, Madhu alias Kalbelia, from Gangrar in Chittorgarh, was reportedly staying under a different name near Bhadwa Mata in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district.

The accused had been sentenced to 10 years in a separate case and was later granted parole, after which he allegedly absconded. A reward of ₹10,000 had been announced for information leading to his arrest.

To verify his location without raising suspicion, police personnel adopted the appearance of priests and gathered information about his movements before apprehending him.

Case 3: Police Became Auto Drivers and Street-Food Vendors

In another case, a jewellery shop in Kapasan was robbed of valuables worth about ₹13 lakh in 2024. During the investigation, police received information that the suspects were hiding in Hisar, Haryana.

To avoid alerting the suspects, police personnel went undercover as auto-rickshaw drivers and monitored the area. They also posed as street-food vendors selling snacks while gathering information about the suspects' movements and locations.

Once the identities and whereabouts of the suspects were confirmed, police carried out the operation and arrested the accused linked to Haryana and Punjab.

Going Beyond Conventional Policing

The undercover operations demonstrate how Chittorgarh Police have used unconventional methods alongside surveillance and intelligence gathering to track wanted suspects.

By blending into local surroundings and concealing their police identity, officers were able to gather information without immediately alerting suspects who had been attempting to evade arrest.

The operations highlight the role of ground-level intelligence and carefully planned undercover work in cases where conventional policing and surveillance alone may not be enough.