In a significant breakthrough, notorious serial killer Chanderkant Jha, known as the “Butcher of Delhi,” was captured by the Delhi police on Saturday, ending his year-long evasion of arrest. The 57-year-old had been on the run since October 2023, when he skipped parole. The arrest came after a months-long manhunt, triggered by a tip-off about his attempt to flee to Bihar. Police apprehended him at the Old Delhi Railway Station on January 17, according to Additional Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar Sain.
Jha’s reign of terror began in 1998 and lasted almost a decade, during which he killed and dismembered 18 victims in West Delhi. His modus operandi involved befriending mostly migrant workers, offering them food, shelter, and work before turning violent. His first recorded murder took place in 1998 when he killed Mangal, later scattering his body parts in Delhi. From 2003 to 2007, Jha continued his killing spree, targeting individuals for petty reasons such as lying, smoking marijuana, or even for having love affairs.
Jha was convicted in 2013 for three murders, earning two death sentences that were later commuted to life imprisonment. However, in a shocking turn, he was granted parole in 2023, from which he escaped. Police worked tirelessly, tracking his family and associates across Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, eventually locating him after an extensive investigation. A bounty of ₹50,000 had also been offered for his capture.
Jha’s arrest ends a terrifying chapter for the city, as the man known for his brutal killings is finally brought to justice.
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