'Butcher of Delhi' arrested after fleeing during parole
What's the story
Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested a notorious serial killer, Chanderkant Jha, aka the "Butcher of Delhi." The 57-year-old was arrested from Old Delhi Railway Station on January 17, 2025, after a long manhunt. Jha had been absconding since October 2023, when he fled during parole while serving a life sentence for several murders between 2006 and 2007.
Manhunt details
Extensive manhunt leads to Jha's capture
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Sanjay Sen confirmed that a reward of ₹50,000 had been announced for information leading to Jha's arrest. The six-month-long investigation included tracing Jha's network of family and associates, surveillance at his previous crime spots, and interrogating people in fruit and vegetable markets across Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
Killer's pattern
Jha's modus operandi and previous crimes
Additional Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar Sain revealed Jha's modus operandi. He would befriend young migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and offer them jobs and meals before brutally murdering them over minor disagreements or perceived infractions. His first recorded murder dates back to 1998 when he killed Mangal alias Aurangzeb in Adarsh Nagar, Delhi. After being released from prison in 2002, he resumed his killing spree.
Grisly tactics
Jha's gruesome method and taunts to police
Jha would carefully dismember his victims' bodies to minimize blood splatter, transport the remains on a modified cycle rickshaw, and dump them at pre-decided spots near Tihar Jail. He even left handwritten notes with the bodies, taunting the police. His case received massive media attention and was the subject of an OTT platform documentary titled "Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi."