Serial killer 'cyanide' Mohan convicted in 16th murder case
Mangaluru, Sep 22: "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 Kasaragod district of Kerala.
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.
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Maharashtra village goes ‘caste-free’, penalties for abuse, 2-hour student “no-phone” period
New Delhi: A village in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district made an effort to redefine social boundaries through a unanimous gram sabha resolution, with residents of Soundala publicly declaring the village "caste-free" earlier this month.
According to a report published by The Print, during a specially convened gram sabha, a resolution was passed on February 5, which calls for the removal of caste-based distinctions from public and social life. It urges residents to interact only on the basis of shared humanity. It also prohibits inquiries into caste identity and affirms equal access to public spaces, religious places, water sources, schools and government services.
Soundala is located about 350 km from Mumbai. It has a population of around 2,500 across nearly 450 families. Majority of the families belong to upper castes while a significant Dalit population, alongside a small number of Muslim and Christian families also live in the village. While overt discrimination had been declining over the years, residents say the resolution gives formal expression to changes that were gradually taking root.
The initiative was led by village sarpanch Sharad Argade. The Print quoted him as saying that the move was initiated because of rising caste and communal tensions in neighbouring areas of the state and he feared that social divisions seen elsewhere could harden in his own village if left unaddressed.
According to Argade, the idea of declaring Soundala caste-free was discussed over time, influenced by social worker Pramod Zinjade and shaped by his family’s long involvement in local politics. Argade’s wife Priyanka, a former sarpanch, is credited by villagers with playing a key role in challenging social norms through her outreach work, which included visiting homes across caste lines.
The resolution states that Soundala will not differentiate on the basis of caste, religion, creed or colour, and adopts the motto “My caste is humanity." The resolution also warns against social or economic boycotts, communal statements and the circulation of inflammatory content on social media, with provisions for penalties.
After the resolution villagers are sharing food in festivals, visiting each other's houses, and attending community events together. Older residents recall a time when Dalits were forced to sit separately at weddings, use different wells, and stay away from upper-caste houses. Members of the Muslim community also spoke of earlier experiences of exclusion that discouraged social interaction.
Soundala has also introduced penalties for verbal abuse, discouraged discriminatory practices against widows and extended financial support for widow remarriage. The gram panchayat also provides educational support to girls up to Class 12 and enforces a daily two-hour “no mobile phone” period for students to encourage study.
Two months before the caste-free resolution, the village had also adopted a practice of playing the national anthem each morning over a loudspeaker. Argade said it was intended to reinforce a shared civic identity.
Acknowledging that caste remains relevant in government policy, particularly in reservation for education and employment, the sarpanch was quoted by The Print as saying that the aim was to confine caste to official records and remove it from daily behaviour.
