Police in Bareilly have arrested a suspect linked to several murders of middle-aged women in the district over the past year. Kuldeep Kumar has admitted to killing six women, according to officials.
Initially, the police had said nine women were killed in the Shahi-Sheeshgarh area since last year and suspected that the murders were perpetrated by the same person who strangulated the victims.
'Serial Killer' Kuldeep Kumar's Confession
The accused admitted to committing all these 'sensational' murders during questioning, the district police chief said.
During the investigation, it was found that Kuldeep was not mentally stable.
According to the Times Now report, his father married another woman while his biological mother was still alive, and Kuldeep had a troubled childhood due to his father's violence towards his mother. This affected Kuldeep's mental health. After Kuldeep got married, he reportedly 'misbehaved' with his wife, leading her to leave him due to ongoing abuse.
In questioning, Kuldeep admitted that he developed a dislike for women and would kill them if he found them alone in a sugarcane field.
If anyone noticed him following a victim, he would leave her unharmed and try again later. He had no personal connection with any of his victims.
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How Was Kuldeep Kumar Arrested?
The police began 'Operation Talash,' using 22 teams to search for the suspect and set up decoys in villages.
They got a lead with the help of sketches. During the investigation, they checked 1,500 CCTV recordings, installed 600 new cameras, and analyzed mobile data.
This effort led to the arrest of Kuldeep Kumar, who was caught using the sketches and CCTV footage.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anurag Arya said the arrest came after a thorough investigation, including the use of decoys and detailed review of evidence.
Serial Killings In UP's Bareilly
Incidents of strangulation of six middle-aged women in forest at isolated/deserted places, mainly in the Shahi and Sheeshgarh areas, had come to light in 2023 and 2024.
Murder cases were registered in connection with these incidents at Shahi and Sheeshgarh police stations, he told reporters.
On Thursday, Kuldeep, aged about 35 years, was identified and arrested by a team from Shahi police station from near the banks of the Mathiya with the help of a tip and previously prepared sketches and videos, the SSP said.
The latest victim, Anita Devi from Haujpur village, was found with strangulation marks on July 2. The first victim was Kusma from Khajuria village who was killed almost a year ago on July 22.
The lack of leads prompted Inspector General of Police (Bareilly Range) Rakesh Singh to take direct command of the investigation.
