Devendra Sharma

Background

Devendra Sharma was an Indian doctor of ayurvedic medicine practising in Aligarh. He had his own ayurvedic clinic before his arrest and reportedly had been an accomplished surgeon. He had been awarded death penalty for killing a Gurgaon-based taxi driver in 2002. He was later described as a serial killer.

Sharma was said to have had nothing in particular against taxi drivers. Police described him as no more than a common car thief who “enjoyed the bloodshed” and saw the drivers as soft targets. Police also said he did not have a particular motive against taxi drivers, and a senior police official said: “We don't know what made him abandon his medical career and embark on a life of crime,” and: “Once he reached his destination, he would direct two of his accomplices waiting at the destination to get inside the vehicle.”

The offence

Sharma was sentenced for the murder of one of his victims and was also linked to multiple killings of taxi drivers. Police said he confessed to killing between 30 and 40 taxi drivers, sometimes decapitating his victims. He was said by police to have confessed to killing dozens of taxi drivers under interrogation. Another statement reported that he confessed to killing 15 drivers and dumping their bodies in a canal in Aligarh. He was also described as being wanted in connection with the murders of at least 30 taxi drivers in four states.

The alleged modus operandi involved Sharma hiring taxis for long routes, directing accomplices to get inside the vehicle at the destination, then driving the taxi to a secluded spot where the driver would be killed and the car stolen. In some incidents, he was assisted by his friends, and he used to sell the vehicle. Police said that he later fled with the vehicle and sold it on the gray market, and that he would get the lion's share of the proceeds that amounted to nearly a lakh on every occasion. Police also stated that most of the 17 bodies were dumped in the Kasampur canal in Aligarh.

A separate description said he remained elusive for one and a half years since committing his first murder on November 26, 2003. It also said that among his victims were five taxi drivers from Haryana and three from Delhi, with others from Rewari, Jaipur and Aligarh. He was reported to have told his victims that he “wouldn't even spare a boy or a woman if he found them driving a taxi.”

Investigation

A police officer who investigated the case informed the court that Dr Sharma was mentally stable. Police said he operated in Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Noida, Meerut, Delhi, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Rewari, Alwar and Jaipur.

Arrest

Sharma was arrested in 2005. He was described as being in “Gurgaon's Bhondsi jail” after being caught by Haryana police. A description also stated he was caught by the Harayana police. He had been a suspect in more than 20 murder cases.

Trial

Sharma was found guilty by the ADJ court in Faridabad. The trio of Sharma and two associates were found guilty of killing several taxi drivers by the ADJ court in Faridabad. The court was likely to pronounce the quantum of punishment for the three culprits. They were found guilty for killing several taxi drivers in Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

A sessions court at Gurgaon on the fringes of New Delhi sentenced Sharma for the murder of one of his victims. Additional District and Session Judge Balbir Singh pronounced the judgement on a case filed on February 11, 2002.

For the murder of the Gurgaon-based taxi driver, Sharma hired Naresh Verma's Tata Sumo for a ride and allegedly murdered Naresh Verma. Sharma allegedly killed Naresh Verma at an isolated place on Gurgaon-Sohna road to steal the vehicle. Sharma was said to have been guilty in connection with the murder case of taxi driver Kamal Singh.

In connection with the murder case of taxi driver Kamal Singh, a Faridabad court had sentenced Sharma to life imprisonment in a previous case. Two of his associates were still absconding. Sharma was described as a prime accused in the case.

During the trial and related proceedings, a police officer told the court that Dr Sharma was mentally stable.

Sentencing

On March 13, 2007, Sharma was sentenced to life in prison.

On May 14, 2008, a local court sentenced Sharma to death penalty for murdering a taxi driver. Dr Devendra Sharma, who was practising medicine in Aligarh, was awarded death penalty for killing a Gurgaon-based taxi driver in 2002.

Sharma was sentenced to hang for the murder case of taxi drivers on May 17, 2008. The hanging was described as being carried out for the murder of a taxi driver by a local court here.

A headline also stated: “Hanging for Indian healer driven to kill taxi drivers May 17, 2008.”

Appeals

Sharma was sentenced to death on May 16, 2008.

Outcome

Sharma was found guilty of killing several taxi drivers by the ADJ court in Faridabad, was sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the murder case of taxi driver Kamal Singh, and was later sentenced to death and to hang.

Other details

A description said Sharma got involved in the crime after he lost his fortune in a chit fund company.

Sharma was described as operating with four accomplices, while another part described two accomplices waiting at the destination.

One description said he had been a suspect in more than 20 such murder cases and confessed to killing at least 20 taxi drivers. Another description said he was believed to have done to death 17 taxi drivers, and that he had reportedly confessed to killing at least 20 taxi drivers.

Police said he used to dump bodies in a canal in Aligarh. He was also described as sometimes decapitating his victims.

He used to sell the stolen vehicles after killing the drivers. The alleged proceeds amounted to nearly a lakh on every occasion, and it was said that he was making him richer by Rs 15 lakhs after 17 deaths.