Serial killer held in 11 murder cases over one year
Police arrested Garhshankar resident Ram Sarup (43), alias Sodhi, for allegedly being involved in 11 murder cases in Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Hoshiarpur in the last year.
He was finally arrested in the murder case of Kiratpur Sahib resident Maninder Singh, 37, who was found dead near the Jio filling station on Manali road on August 18 this year. The police said in five out of the 11 cases the victims were confirmed to be dead, while the details in the rest were yet to emerge.
Rupnagar SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana said the suspect was arrested from Chauda village in Garhshankar of Hoshiarpur. He was produced in a local court, and police remand was sought for further questioning.
Sources said the suspect's modus operandi involved taking lifts from unsuspecting travellers for sexual gratification and killing them after an altercation over payments. Cops suspect the serial killer was sexually active and killed males after disputes over payment. The suspect is married and has three kids. He lives with his parents and is unemployed.
Deceased Maninder used to run a tea stall near Mauda toll plaza. A case under Section 103 of the BNS was registered at the Kiratpur Sahib police station on August 19. With his arrest, the police claimed to have solved two murders in Rupnagar.
Ghanauli resident Mukadar Singh, 34, a tractor mechanic, was found dead with grievous injuries near Panjhora road on April 5. A case was registered at the Kiratpur Sahib police station on April 6.
On January 24, Rupnagar youth Harpreet Singh, alias Sunny, was found dead in his car near Nirankari Bhawan in Rupnagar. A murder case was registered at the Rupnagar police station on January 25.
