The rape and homicide of a 19-year-old school pupil, whose physique was present in a mango orchard at Udvada in Valsad district earlier this month, was the handiwork of a serial killer who robbed and killed a minimum of 4 different folks, together with a lady whom he additionally raped, in a month in numerous trains passing by totally different states, Gujarat police stated.
The most recent homicide, police stated, was that of a lady inside a practice passing by Secunderabad, Telangana, on Sunday morning.
The accused, 30-year-old Rahul alias Bholu Karamveer Jat, a resident of Rohtak in Haryana, was arrested on Sunday night when he alighted on the Vapi Railway Station after boarding a practice from Bandra, Mumbai.
Police stated the murders had been carried out in trains passing by states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Telangana between October 20 and November 24.
Police stated that on November 14, the accused had come to Udvada to gather his fee from a lodge the place he used to work as a waiter. He was ready for a neighborhood practice to take him to Vapi, from the place was supposed to depart for Mumbai, when he noticed {the teenager} strolling alone on the railway platform. He adopted her, pulled her right into a mango orchard the place he raped and strangulated her to loss of life earlier than returning to Vapi, stated police.
Performing on a tip-off, a staff from Mumbai Police stored a watch on the accused as he travelled within the Bandra-Bhuj Categorical practice. As quickly because the practice reached Vapi Railway Station, the officers stationed there arrested him and introduced him to the police station.
Police arrested him below Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 103 (homicide), 64 (1) (rape), and 66 (Inflicting loss of life or leading to persistent vegetative state of sufferer).
Valsad District Superintendent of Police Dr Karanraj Vaghela stated, “The accused has confessed to have killed a lady travelling in Mangalore Categorical practice on Sunday. An offence on this regard was registered with Secunderabad GRP station. We talked to the police officers in Secunderabad at this time (on Monday) and knowledgeable them in regards to the arrest of the suspect.”
Rape, murders inside practice
On the previous crimes of the accused, police stated he killed a person and robbed his belongings in a practice transferring from Bengaluru to Murdeshwar on October 25. On November 19, only a few days after the Valsad homicide, the accused killed an aged music trainer and robbed his valuables and money in Katihar Categorical practice passing by West Bengal, stated police. A grievance on this connection was registered with Howrah GRP station. Police stated the accused additionally confessed to have killed a lady in October whereas travelling in a practice operating between Pune and Kanyakumari, including the person had additionally raped the sufferer close to Solapur Railway Station in Maharashtra earlier than killing her.”
Was launched on bail in Might
Police stated that the accused was lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan for various crimes and was launched on bail in Might 2024.
Vaghela stated, “He used to steal vehicles parked at freeway lodges. 13 instances had been registered towards him in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. He was additionally concerned in arms trafficking. The accused used to journey in several trains and rob passengers discovered alone earlier than murdering them.”
Giving particulars about how the suspect was tracked, Vaghela stated, “On the crime spot in Udvada, we discovered two baggage – whereas one belonged to the sufferer, the opposite contained a jersey and a pair of shorts. We checked CCTV footage of Vapi railway station and located a person carrying the identical jersey strolling on the platform. Even the bag was the identical. We shared the images of the suspect with the Railway police in several states.”
In the meantime, police contacted Surat Central Jail authorities and shared the pictures of the suspect. “On coming into his image within the on-line document of individuals lodged in several jails, we discovered that it matched with somebody launched from Jodhpur jail earlier this yr. We traced his household to Rohtak and acquired his cell quantity, which was discovered switched off. His final location was present in Vadodara. On Sunday, Bandra Railway police staff, which was on alert, knowledgeable us that the suspect was noticed on the railway station there and was travelling within the Bandra-Bhuj Categorical practice.”
Police stated they checked over 5,000 CCTV cameras at totally different railway stations in Gujarat and Maharashtra and talked to 1000’s of individuals earlier than zeroing in on the accused.
Valsad Police stated that they had made a WhatsApp group with police officers in Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Odisha, and Rajasthan to share particulars of the accused. The accused has a incapacity on his left leg because of which he walked with a limp, which helped in figuring out him, they added.
Valsad Police stated they’ve recovered money amounting to Rs 25,604, three cellphones, and a blood-stained knife from his possession.
“We suspect his involvement in lots of extra crimes. We’re coordinating with police of various states and getting the small print of possible undetected homicide instances,” stated Vaghela.
