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A serial killer, who allegedly murdered 11 people within a span of 18 months in Punjab after offering lifts and then robbing them, was arrested on Tuesday from Rupnagar district. The accused was identified as 33-year-old Ram Saroop, a resident of Chaura village of Garhshankar in Hoshiarpur.
According to the police, the victims were all men with whom he engaged in sexual acts, mainly after offering them lifts. The accused then robbed the men and killed them after altercations or refusal by victims to give him the money. Officials said that in most cases, the accused strangled his victims with a piece of cloth, while in other cases, they died of head injuries.
In one of the murders, the accused wrote 'Dhokebaaz' (cheater) on a victim's back - who was a former soldier working as a security guard in a private factory.
The accused was initially arrested in connection with the murder of a 37-year-old man, who used to serve tea and water at Toll Plaza Modra, on August 18. During interrogation, Saroop revealed that he had killed 10 more people. While five of these cases have been confirmed so far, investigations are underway to trace the remaining murders, the police said.
Some of the cases include the murder of a 34-year-old tractor repairer, who was beaten to death on April 5, and the killing of a young man who was found in a car on January 24. The serial killer has murdered people Rupnagar, Hoshiarpur, and Fategarh districts.
Officials said that the accused, who worked as a labourer, was addicted to drugs.
According to the serial killer, he used to touch the victim's feet and ask for forgiveness after killing them as he felt remorse. Admitting to committing the crimes only after getting intoxicated, he said that he does not remember them anymore.
The accused was reportedly married with three children, but he was abandoned by his family two years ago due to his homosexuality.
"We have arrested the accused. He will be produced before the court soon," a police official said.