MP serial killings: 6 security guards murdered since May, 1 suspect held

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Police on Friday claimed to have arrested a suspected serial killer here, who was allegedly involved in killing of at least six security guards since May.

The last attack took place in the state capital late on Thursday night.

According to reports, four security guards were reportedly attacked in Sagar district in a span of one week, of which one is battling for life at a Bhopal hospital.

Shiv Gond, the suspected accused, was arrested late on Thursday from Bhopal and is being interrogated. The breakthrough came after a 23-year-old security guard, who has been identified as Sonu Verma, was murdered in Bairagarh area late on Thursday, police said.

"Based on CCTV footage of the locality, we picked-up the accused in the early hours from Bhopal. During the preliminary investigation, he confessed to killing six security guards, including one Pune. Further interrogation is underway," a senior Police official told IANS.

As per�police, the 19-year-old accused is a resident of Kesli area in Sagar district and he was inspired by a KGF movie. He told the police that he was targetting the security guards who were asleep during duty hours. The accused speak fluent English and earlier was working with a private firm in Goa.

Notably, three murders within a week has created panic among the people, especially the security guards in Sagar district.

IANS had reported on Thursday that the crime prompted Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DIG) Sudhir Saxena to monitor the case himself. Subsequently, at least 250 cops in several teams were deployed to find a breakthrough in the case.

The attacks had an identical pattern -- smashing heads with a hammer, stones and spade.

While the first case was reported in May, the second took place on Monday and the third and fourth were carried out on Tuesday in Sagar district, and fifth one on Thursday in Bhopal.

The accused has been taken to Sagar district for further investigation in the matter, state home minister Narottam Mishra told the press.