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The police in Bareilly arrested a suspected killer involved in a series of murders targeting middle-aged women in the district during the past year, officials said on Friday.
The 35-year-old accused, identified as Kuldeep Kumar, has confessed to killing six women, according to the police.
Kumar revealed during interrogation that he was troubled by his stepmother, who abused him and had tried to strangle him, they added.
Initially, the police were investigating a series of nine murders committed in a similar pattern.
Senior superintendent of police Anurag Arya said Kumar was apprehended with the help of sketches and CCTV camera footage.
The arrest followed an intensive investigation involving the review of CCTV camera footage, deployment of decoys, and analysis of mobile data, he said.
"In 2023 and 2024, mainly in the Shahi and Sheeshgarh areas of Bareilly district, incidents of strangulation of six middle-aged women in the forest at isolated/deserted places had come to light. Murder cases were registered in connection with these incidents at Shahi and Sheeshgarh police stations," Arya told reporters.
"On Thursday, a person named Kuldeep Kumar, aged about 35, was identified and arrested by a Shahi police station team from near the banks of the Mathiya with the help of an informer's tip and previously prepared sketches and available videos," Arya said.
The accused admitted to committing crimes incidents during interrogation, he added.
Three days ago, Bareilly police had released three sketches of suspects related to the case. A reward of Rs 25,000 was announced for the police team that apprehended the killer, the officer said.
Arya said the police had set up a war room and named the campaign "Operation Talash" for which 22 teams were formed, selecting skilled officers for the investigation.
"The teams reviewed footage from around 1,500 CCTV cameras, installed 600 new cameras, and deployed officers in uniform and plainclothes to continuously monitor the area, interact with the public, and raise awareness," he said.
In addition, teams were sent to states such as Maharashtra to study the modus operandi of previously uncovered criminals.
The surveillance team analysed data from approximately 1.5 lakh mobile numbers and monitored individuals from voter lists of nearby villages.
Consultations with clinical psychology experts were also conducted to understand the behaviour of such criminals, he said.
"Decoys were used in the investigation, and body-worn and hidden cameras deployed. A detailed plan was prepared using Google Maps to cover the areas surrounding Shahi police station," Arya said.
The senior officer said Kumar was a resident of Bakarganj Sanuwa village in Nawabganj.
"He (the suspected killer) targeted women in the Shahi and Sheeshgarh areas, initially proposing sexual relations and then strangling them if they refused. The police took Kumar to the crime scenes for detailed questioning," Arya said.
Kumar revealed during interrogation that his family was involved in farming. His father passed away and his mother died when he was young.
He was deeply troubled by the behaviour of his stepmother, who abused him and tried to strangle him in disputes, the police said.
This led him to develop violent tendencies towards women, making him a serial killer. Kumar has a married sister. He was married to a Bengali woman who described his behaviour as violent and prone to arguments, the police said.
"All the victims were middle-aged women whom he targeted after prolonged interaction," the police officer said.
Kumar had no personal vehicle and travelled on foot, using public transport, the Bareilly police chief said.
"He targeted women who were alone and often did not use mobile phones, which delayed his capture," he remarked.
After his arrest, the police recreated the crime scene and recovered various items from Kumar, including an ID card of a deed woman, lipstick, pieces of clothing, and other personal items of the victims.