- Police arrested the serial knife attacker terrorising young women in Bhopal for a week
- The accused, from Sagar, acted out of rage amid ongoing marital disputes
- Three female students were attacked between 10:30 pm and 11 pm in public areas
Bhopal breathed a collective sigh of relief as police finally arrested the serial knife attacker who had terrorised young women across the city for nearly a week. The arrest brought an end to days of fear, panic, and unanswered questions after three female students were brutally attacked in public spaces.
The accused, whose sudden attacks had shaken the city, was arrested in the Minal area, where he had been hiding in plain sight. According to police, he is a resident of Sagar and had turned dangerously violent amid ongoing marital disputes.
Investigators revealed that the accused was embroiled in constant conflicts with his wife. In a disturbed mental state, he allegedly began venting his frustration on young women walking alone, attacking them without provocation.
Police believe the attacks were not meticulously planned but driven by sudden outbursts of rage. "This was a clear case of displaced aggression," an officer involved in the probe said.
The attacks occurred between 10:30 pm and 11 pm on Thursday night. Two incidents were reported in the Piplani area, while a third took place under the Ayodhya Nagar Police Station jurisdiction. The victims included two college students and a Class 12 student, all of whom sustained injuries from a sharp cutter.
Victims told police the attacker appeared to be between 30 and 35 years old. After each attack, he would ride his motorcycle a short distance away, then circle back, apparently searching for another target.
To evade identification, the accused wore a mask and used a motorcycle without a number plate. Adding to the danger, several streetlights in the affected areas had been non-functional for days, giving him cover to strike and escape.
The manhunt was one of the largest in recent months. More than 25 police teams worked continuously for six days, with joint teams from the Cyber Cell and Crime Branch analysing every possible lead.
The breakthrough came from painstaking analysis of CCTV footage from over 200 houses in the Minal area, along with police cameras and technical surveillance. After hours of reviewing footage frame by frame, the suspect's location was finally confirmed.
Police cordoned off the area and arrested him before he could strike again.
Police said they received specific information that the accused was roaming in Ayodhya Nagar, allegedly preparing to carry out another attack. Acting swiftly, teams were deployed, and the suspect was tracked down soon after.
A Rs 20,000 reward had earlier been announced for information leading to his arrest.
Gautam Solanki, Additional DCP, said, "The crime pattern in all three incidents was identical. The accused shows psychopathic tendencies. He deliberately chose vulnerable victims and took measures to avoid identification."
For days, parents feared letting their daughters step out after dark. College students altered their routines. Entire neighbourhoods lived under the shadow of a faceless attacker. As the accused remains in custody and interrogation continues, Bhopal hopes this chapter of fear has finally come to an end.
