Devendra SHARMA
Classification: Serial killer
Characteristics: Car thief
Number of victims: 20 +/-
Date of murders: 2002 - 2004
Date of arrest: February 9, 2004
Date of birth: ???
Victims profile: Men (taxi drivers)
Method of murder: Beating
Location: Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan, India
Status: Sentenced to life in prison in March 13, 2007. Sentenced to death on May 16, 2008
Hanging for Indian healer driven to kill taxi drivers
May 17, 2008
AN Indian doctor of ayurvedic medicine, a 5000-year-old form of traditional healing, was sentenced to hang yesterday after confessing to police that he had killed between 30 and 40 taxi drivers, sometimes decapitating his victims.
Devender Sharma, who had his own ayurvedic clinic before his arrest and reportedly was an accomplished surgeon, was said by police to have had nothing in particular against taxi drivers.
They said he was no more than a common car thief who "enjoyed the bloodshed" and saw the drivers as soft targets.
A sessions court at Gurgaon, on the fringes of New Delhi, sentenced the doctor for the murder of one his victims.
But police said that under interrogation he had confessed to dozens of killings. "We don't know what made him abandon his medical career and embark on a life of crime," a senior police official was quoted as saying.
"Once he reached his destination, he would direct two of his accomplices waiting at the destination to get inside the vehicle.
"The driver would then be driven to a secluded spot where the driver would be killed and his car stolen."
Noose for doctor in murder case
Indopia.in
Gurgaon, May 14, 2008
A doctor was sentenced to death penalty for murdering a taxi driver by a local court here today.
Dr Devendra Sharma, who was practising medicine in Aligarh, was awarded death penalty for killing a Gurgaon-based taxi driver in 2002.
Additional District and Session Judge Balbir Singh pronounced the judgement on a case filed on February 11, 2002. He hired Naresh Verma's Tata Sumo for a ride and allegedly murdered him at an isolated place on Gurgaon-Sohna road to steal the vehicle.
A Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery, Sharma had allegedly killed more than twenty taxi drivers in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan before his arrest in 2005.
Sharma, a suspect in more than 20 such murder cases, confessed to the police that he killed 15 drivers and dumped their bodies in a canal in Aligarh.
Sharma used to hire the taxis for a long route and at some secluded place on the way he used to kill the driver before escaping with the vehicle.
In some incidents, he was assisted by his friends and he used to sell the vehicle.
Last year, a Faridabad court had sentenced him to life imprisonment in connection with the murder case of taxi driver Kamal Singh.
A police officer, who investigated the case, informed the court that Dr Sharma was mentally stable.
He was operating in Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Noida, Meerut, Delhi, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Rewari, Alwar and Jaipur.
Man found guilty of killing taxi drivers
March 12, 2007
Serial killer Davendra Sharma and two of his associates have been found guilty of killing several taxi drivers by the ADJ court in Faridabad. The trio had killed several many taxi drivers after hiring their taxis.
The court is likely to pronounce the quantum of punishment for the three culprits today.
They were found guilty for killing several taxi drivers in Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Davendra Sharma was the prime accused in the case.
Sharma was guilty in connection with the murder case of taxi driver Kamal Singh.
Sharma and his aides operated in a planned manner. Taking advantage of his pleasing personality, Sharma used to target his victims by hiring their taxis. He later used to kill them with the help of his four accomplices and escape along with the taxi. Two of his associates are still absconding.
He is wanted in connection with the murders of at least 30 taxi drivers in four states. Sharma has reportedly confessed to killing at least 20 taxi drivers. He got involved in the crime after he lost his fortune in a chit fund company.
UP doctor is a serial killer!
June 6, 2005
Other doctors may give life, but Devendra Sharma believes in taking it away. This ruthless killer is believed to have so far done to death 17 taxi drivers.
Sharma, who is a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery, doesn't appear to be mentally deranged. In fact the police are still not clear about what made him abandon his medical career and embark on a life of crime. His initial failure to run a clinic may have been partially responsible.
Sharma had a chilling modus operandi - he would kill taxi drivers, steal their vehicles and sell them off to make a blood-soaked buck.
He remained elusive for one and a half years since committing his first murder on November 26, 2003. Among his victims are five taxi drivers from Haryana and three from Delhi. Others hail from Rewari, Jaipur and Aligarh.
Sharma, currently languishing in Gurgaon's Bhondsi jail after being caught by the Harayana police, showed no compassion or mercy. He reportedly told his victims that he wouldn't even spare a boy or a woman if he found them driving a taxi. Most of the 17 bodies were dumped in the Kasampur canal in Aligarh.
According to the cops, the Ayurvedic doctor would come to Delhi and Gurgaon quite often from his native Aligarh. He would then pose as a tourist who wanted to go to Aligarh. Once he reached his destination, he would direct his accomplices to get inside the vehicle. The taxi would be driven to a secluded spot where the driver was beaten mercilessly. The gang then fled with the vehicle and later sold it on the gray market. Dr Sharma would get the lion's share of the proceeds that amounted to nearly a lakh on every occasion.
But 17 innocent people had to die to make him richer by Rs 15 lakhs.
