Mangaluru: A local court here has convicted serial killer ‘Cyanide’ Mohan. The court has held him guilty in the rape and murder of a young woman from Kasaragod in Kerala in 2009. This is the 20th and last of the murder cases registered against ‘Cyanide Mohan’. He has been convicted of killing several women using cyanide after befriending and raping them. The quantum of punishment for ‘Cyanide Mohan’ is expected to be pronounced, June 24.
Earlier cases
Earlier, he had been awarded death sentence in five cases and life imprisonment in three cases. Two of the death penalties were later commuted to life imprisonment.
The prosecution’s case was that the 25-year-old victim got acquainted with Mohan in 2009. She was was working as a cook in a ladies hostel in Kasaragod, He visited her house thrice and promised to marry her.
The woman left her house July 9, 2009, stating that she was going to a temple at Sullia. Mohan then took her to Bangalore. When the girl’s family members called him about her, he informed them they had got married. Mohan also said that they would return home soon.
Modus operandi
Mohan then took the woman to a lodge near the bus stand. She had a physical relationship with him. Before leaving the next day, the girl was asked to leave her jewellery in the room. Mohan and the girl went to the bus stand near the lodge. He gave her a cyanide-laced tablet telling her it is a contraceptive pill and left the place, the prosecution said.
The woman consumed the tablet and collapsed near the toilet of the bus stand. She was rushed to a hospital by a constable, but was declared dead on arrival. A case of unnatural death was then registered.
Identification process
After Mohan was arrested in October 2009, the victim’s sister, seeing his pictures, identified him. They filed a complaint, following which the criminal investigation department took up the probe.
Public prosecutor Judith OM Crasta had argued the case earlier, which was taken over later by Jayaram Shetty.
