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Serial killer sexually assaulted as a child, may have triggered spree: Police

The 22-year-old alleged serial killer, who was arrested in Gurugram three days ago, is a victim of child molestation. He was sexually assaulted by a male relative

Published on: Dec 6, 2020, 23:25:19 IST
By , Gurugram
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The 22-year-old alleged serial killer, who was arrested in Gurugram three days ago, is a victim of child molestation. He was sexually assaulted by a male relative when he was six years old, the police said, adding that this may have triggered the killing spree in which at least 10 persons were killed in Gurugram, Delhi, and Bihar.

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HT Image

The police said that he only targeted men and had no interest in women. He used to carry a set of knives to stab his targets and only targeted people from the lower middle class, who were in distress or expressed frustrations.

The police said that it has been challenging to track and arrest Mohammad Razi (22), as all these three murder cases he was involved in were blind cases. There was no personal or professional enmity and there was no CCTV footage to help them identify the suspect.

KK Rao, the commissioner of police, said that as Razi was smart enough to evade being identified but circumstantial evidence and secret informers helped them nab him.

On November 26, Razi was searching for a target when he saw a man sitting near the sewer pipe in Sector 47 ground, near the state vigilance office. Razi sat near the man and started interacting with him.

“He introduced himself as a needy person who had come all the way from Bihar in search of work and did a storytelling session, saying he was thrown out of the house due to financial issues and now, he is left with no money to make ends meet. He was carrying a whisky bottle, which he offered to the victim and after they consumed almost half the bottle, he started abusing him and stabbed him at least six times. He chopped his neck, packed the head in a paper and later in polythene, and walked to Kanhai village, which is four kilometres from the spot,” said Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime).

The victim was identified as Rakesh Kumar of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. His identity was established from an Aadhaar card found near the body.

Razi told the police he went to the residence of one Mohsin Khan, a construction contractor who had hired him for an ongoing project near Sohna Road. “He was fired from the job as he was found stealing construction material and iron rods from the site. He was carrying a grudge against Khan and planned to frame him. He went to Khan’s room but found his room locked. So, he left the head in front of his house to mislead the police and returned to Sector 47,” said Sangwan.

Razi kept a close watch on police movement in Sector 47, when they were searching for the head in nearby bushes and “enjoyed every moment”, according to the police.

He washed his knife and wiped his hands with a towel that he carried in his bag, along with a set of clothes. He kept changing locations and was confident that he would not be caught as he was not using a mobile phone.

During questioning, Razi revealed that he has worked in Nepal, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gurugram and Uttar Pradesh, and wanted to travel across the country to kill people in all cities, the police said. “He wanted to become famous and wanted to be known as the most dangerous serial killer, and his target was 100 murders. He kept his lucky knife always with him and said he would take the decision of killing only after three drinks,” said Sangwan.

Rao said he has worked in Kalanki, six kilometres from Kathmandu in Nepal, where he was working on an underpass project between 2018 and 2020, before he returned to his village. He is the eldest of five siblings in his family and has two younger brothers and sisters, each.

“We are investigating to get more details of other cases with his involvement. A team will be sent to his home town and we are coordinating with our counterparts to know of similar cases reported in their areas,” he said.

Razi was sent to 14 days in judicial custody after his remand ended on Saturday, the police said.

  • Leena Dhankhar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Leena Dhankhar

    Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More