Question and Answers on "Indian Serial Killers"
Dr. S. A. Deepak is glad to answer questions related to Indian Serial Killers. If you have any questions, Do write in the comment section or mail to researchoncrime@gmail.com
Why do we call them serial killers? (Question by Anuj Nirwan, Student of Security management, Raksha Shakti University)
"Serial killer" is a
term which becomes popular in English only at the end of the 20th century. It
came to English from the German term 'Serienmörder' (means serial
murderer) first appeared in an article written by German Criminologist Ernest
Gennat 1920. Before the term 'serial killer' become popular, they were not
classified from other multiple murderers such as mass murderers or spree
murderers. However, such murders existed from time immemorial. There are many
incidents of serial killings recorded in archives of History.
Why serial killers use one type of pattern in their crimes? (Question by Anuj Nirwan, Student of Security management, Raksha Shakti University)
It is a human tendency to do an action similarly when it is repeated. Especially when a person learns to do a complicated action, when the next time there is a tendency to repeat the method which is already tested, and succeeded. We dress similarly every day, writes similarly, walk similarly, talks similarly, and park our bikes in the same place every day. Over a period, it becomes our personality, and we will only change it if we face a challenge. A serial killer also tends to repeat his murders with similar methods.
Why they do this type of crime? In one series? (Question by Anuj Nirwan, Student of Security management, Raksha Shakti University)
I believe that they have an inner urge to commit murders persistently. Their urge go down when they do it but grows back as time passes. Some researchers I came across suggested that these urges can be compared to a volcano. A volcano expels lava when it reaches a threshold to release the pressure building inside from time to time. Similarly, a serial killer has to release the urge, building inside, from time to time.
Why many serial killers are there in India and how we can prevent this type of crime. (Question by Anuj Nirwan, Student of Security management, Raksha Shakti University)
I believe serial killers are everywhere and like any general crimes, which increases with the population, serial killings in India also increased in the past 50 years. India has the second-highest population in the world. The rise in population in most cases increased crime rates. This may be one reason for the rise in serial killing incidents in India.
Can it be prevented? Yes, to an extent. With enough research and effective policing strategies, we can try to bring down the average murder span of serial killers. This means, If we can apprehend a serial killer in the initial period of his murder span, it will save many other potential victims. Can it be prevented entirely? No, since serial killing is the end product of a plethora of factors, it is challenging to remodel people, biology, and the world in such a way that people won't turn into serial killers.
Sir, you have mentioned that there are about 100 serial killers in the last 40 years if that is right, by maths it means that there are five killers every two years by average and that number will be increasing due to population expansion. Also is that possible that there could be these people in armed forces? (Question by Atul)
That is an excellent observation. I believe those 100 cases are just the tip of the iceberg. There will be many active serial killers in India. Those who are not yet caught. Serial killers will be there in all professions, not just in armed forces. But some serial killers covet for a profession where they can kill with impunity like armed forces and police force. We have some encounter specialists in police forces, and I assume they get some kick out of killing people. Another profession where a serial killer can operate efficiently is the medical profession. I believe a few of our doctors and nurses are serial killers. No one cares about the doctor's or nurse's intention when a patient declared dead in a hospital. The increase in population in most of the globe increased the crime rate. So the chances are there will be more serial killing cases in India.
"From 1985 to 1988 in Bombay, a series of similar murders were reported. Police investigation did not make an arrest this time; however, the killings stopped all of a sudden. A new series of thirteen murders were reported in 1989 in Calcutta, and all the victims were homeless people slept in the open. All the murders were committed during the night, and in all cases, some heavy blunt objects were used for crushing the head of the people. The print media of Calcutta named the unidentified perpetrator 'the Stone Man'." The murders stopped suddenly, but why? Because, in "Jack the Ripper Case" too, the murders stopped after the five cases. Is there any reason for one killer to stop their murders? (Question by Atul)
This is the reason why I stress on studying the lives of serial killers. We can only assume that some significant incidents happened in their lives, and due to this, their 'killer instinct' was gradually pacified. In 'stone killer case' and 'Jack the Ripper case' the offenders are unknown, and we do not know much about them. Some serial killers stop murdering naturally after a while even when they are not arrested by police while some keep murdering until they get caught. It's just like someone so fond of playing cricket stops playing it after a while.
What are the symptoms or signs of Killer Instinct? Is it possible to identify future serial killers using killer instinct? (Question by Atul)
It is tough to identify a person who is under the killer instinct. Killer instinct is not stable also. It may disappear if there are some significant fluctuations in Deep Resting Life Factor(DRLF) and with new incidents in a person's life. Some people who reach killer instinct will not murder since they do not find the right trigger for serial killing. Generally a person under a lot of pressure due to situations internal as well as external expressing sudden aggressive tendencies at a particular age against their typical nature in the rest of the life may be candidates for killer instinct.
The article is written by S. A. Deepak, Ph.D. He is an Assistant Professor of
Criminology at D.G. Vaishnav College. You can read his books on serial Killers
in India in the below link.
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