Serial killer 'Cyanide' Mohan convicted in 16th murder case

Mangaluru: "Cyanide" Mohan, a serial killer who has murdered several women using the deadly chemical after befriending and raping them, has been convicted of killing another woman a music teacher in Karnataka, taking the total number of his convictions to 16.

Mohan, who has previously been convicted of killing women in public toilets by giving them cyanide capsules, murdered the 33-year-old woman after raping her at a lodge in Bengaluru in May 2007, the prosecution told the Mangaluru district and sessions court.

The woman hailed from Uppala in Kerala's Kasaragod district.

The serial killer had introduced himself to her as Sudhakar Acharya, an employee of the forest department. He gave her a poisonous capsule, telling her it was a contraceptive.

He has used the same modus operandi in all the 20 cases against him, the prosecution submitted to the court.

Judge Sayeedunnisa pronounced Mohan guilty on Friday under various sections of the Indian Penal Code relating to murder, robbery and punishment for cheating and others, after examining 38 witnesses and 49 exhibits.

The quantum of punishment would be pronounced on September 25.

This was the 16th case in which Mohan has been convicted.

He had been accused of killing a number of women between 2003 and 2009 and had been sentenced to death in three cases and to life imprisonment in others.

In 2017, the Karnataka High Court commuted the capital punishment awarded in one of the cases to life imprisonment till death.