In the tranquil villages of Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district, a chilling fear gripped the hearts of its residents. For over a year, a shadowy figure known as the Saree Killer preyed on women, leaving a trail of horror in his wake. Between 2023 and 2024, nine women were brutally murdered, each strangled with their own sarees, their bodies left in a dishevelled state, stripped of any valuables. As the death toll rose, the villagers, particularly the women, began to live in constant fear, avoiding the streets after dark and always moving in groups.
The Emergence of a Serial Killer
The first known victim of the Saree Killer was Kalavati, a middle-aged woman from Partapur village, whose body was discovered in a nearby forest on June 5, 2023. Her death, marked by strangulation with her saree, sent shockwaves through the village. Just two weeks later, another woman, Dhanvanti, was found lifeless in a sugarcane field, her fate was eerily similar. Both murders were gruesome, and the method of execution pointed to the possibility of a serial killer at large. As weeks turned into months, the bodies continued to pile up, each one a grim reminder of the killer’s resolve.
A Pattern of Terror
The murders followed a disturbing pattern, with all the victims aged between 45 and 55. They were killed around midday, and their bodies were found within a 25-kilometre radius under the jurisdiction of two police stations. Despite the growing number of victims, the police struggled to identify the perpetrator. The killer seemed to vanish without a trace, leaving behind no evidence of sexual assault, only the tragic remains of his victims.
Among the victims were women like Premwati, whose body was discovered with a saree tied tightly around her neck, and Kusma, found lifeless in a field, her neck bearing the marks of strangulation. The killer’s brutality knew no bounds, as seen in the case of Viravati, whose dishevelled clothes suggested a struggle, and Mahmoodan, whose body was discarded in a sugarcane field, her life cruelly snuffed out. The police, despite their efforts, were left chasing shadows.
Bareilly Saree Killer: The Hunt Intensifies
By the time the eighth victim, Anita Devi, was found in July 2024, the authorities knew they were dealing with a highly elusive and dangerous individual. The local police, led by SSP Anurag Arya, launched ‘Operation Talaash’, a massive manhunt involving 22 teams. The operation was unprecedented in its scope, with investigators scouring footage from over 1,500 CCTV cameras, including 600 newly installed in the affected area. They also screened data from 1.5 lakh mobile phones, trying to piece together the killer’s movements.
Despite these efforts, the investigation hit several dead ends. Three suspects were arrested based on witness testimonies, but the murders continued, deepening the mystery. It wasn’t until the release of three suspect sketches, based on interviews with hundreds of villagers, that the police began to close in on their quarry. Even so, the process was fraught with challenges, as the killer seemed to be always one step ahead, evading capture with cunning precision.
The Breakthrough
The breakthrough came in August 2024 when the police arrested Kuldeep Gangwar, a 35-year-old man from Nawabganj. Described as a “woman hater with a traumatized past,” Gangwar had managed to elude the authorities for over a year. His capture was the result of tireless efforts by the police, who had begun to track him after receiving reports of a lone stranger moving suspiciously through the fields. Gangwar’s background revealed a history of substance abuse and deep-seated resentment towards women, stemming from his troubled childhood, where he witnessed his mother being repeatedly abused by his father.
"He confessed to the crimes, driven by a twisted hatred for women, particularly those who reminded him of his stepmother." – SSP Anurag Arya
Controversy and Doubts
Despite his confession, Gangwar’s arrest has been shrouded in controversy. Scepticism grew when a sketch released by the police bore an uncanny resemblance to Gangwar’s photograph, leading to widespread speculation that the police might have had him in custody long before the sketch was made public. Social media was abuzz with accusations of a botched investigation, with many questioning whether the right man had been caught.
Adding to the doubts were the testimonies from Gangwar’s village, where residents vehemently defended him, describing him as a “simple soul” with unsound mental faculties, incapable of committing such heinous crimes. His brother, Raj Kumar, insisted on his innocence, demanding an impartial inquiry into the case. The villagers, too, questioned the police’s narrative, pointing out that Gangwar was known to wander aimlessly, but had never shown any signs of violence.
The Final Chapter?
As the investigation continues, the case of the Saree Killer remains a source of fear and uncertainty in Bareilly. While the police have expressed confidence in their findings, the lingering doubts and the villagers’ refusal to believe in Gangwar’s guilt suggest that the final chapter in this dark saga has yet to be written. The arrest may have brought some relief to the terrified villagers, but the question remains: is the true Saree Killer behind bars, or does the shadow of this heinous figure still loom over Bareilly?
Kommentare