Photos of women, 'gin' ritual part of occultist's modus operandi in Peeragarhi murders: Police

The investigation into the Peeragarhi triple murder case has revealed disturbing details about the activities of the arrested occultist, including allegedly asking clients to send photographs of women and promising them 'dhanvarsha' after a 'gin' establishes 'physical contact' with them, police said on Friday. Kamruddin alias Baba, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad, was arrested on Thursday and sent to five-day police remand in connection with the killing of three people whose bodies were found inside an abandoned car on the Peeragarhi flyover on February 8. During the probe, police found that the accused allegedly prepared a lethal mixture of 'sulphas' (aluminium phosphide, a controlled pesticide), sleeping pills and cold drink, which the three victims were made to consume, leading to their immediate death. Police are questioning a man from Firozabad suspected to have supplied sulphas, while efforts are underway to ascertain the source of the sleeping pills and how the accused learnt to prepare the toxic mixture. Investigators found multiple photographs of girls and women in victim Laxmi's phone. In the images, the women were seen standing with their hair open and holding papers mentioning personal details. The photos were allegedly circulated in groups and shared across multiple contacts. According to police, Kamruddin allegedly promised his clients a windfall ('dhanvarsha') if they paid him around Rs 2 lakh, and had a woman in their family matching specific physical descriptions -- tall, with long hair --through whom a 'gin' would establish 'physical contact' without the person realising it. When clients raised doubts after no results, he allegedly cited reasons such as the woman being bitten by an animal or having undergone surgery. Police said he also trapped victims by claiming he could perform surgical procedures without stitches and allegedly charged up to Rs 7,000 per visit. A 'gin mantra' was recovered from the pocket of victim Naresh, while analysis of call records led investigators to the accused. Police said Laxmi had shared the accused's location with Naresh, which helped them track him. Kamruddin is officially linked to six murder cases across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, while police suspect his role in two more killings. When police reached his residence in Loni posing as clients seeking treatment for a child, he allegedly tried to flee by jumping a 15-foot wall but was later caught. Locals in his neighbourhood allegedly feared him as he would threaten people during disputes and leave suspicious objects outside their homes to intimidate them. He also allegedly asked clients to switch their phones to flight mode during meetings. Police have widened the probe into his financial transactions, contacts and possible links to similar murders in other states. His properties, including plots and a marriage hall in Firozabad, are likely to be attached. Police said the accused also deliberately avoided getting on or off the victims' car at locations covered by CCTV cameras. He is being taken to Loni on Friday to recreate the crime scene. Earlier, police had said the 72-year-old occultist showed 'no signs of remorse' during interrogation. Kamruddin allegedly targeted people in financial distress by luring them with ritualistic assurances of wealth before poisoning them with laced consumables. Call detail records and technical surveillance has revealed he was in contact with a large number of people, all of whom are now being verified. Police are also examining similarities between the present case and earlier cases registered against him in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, suspecting a similar modus operandi. Investigators believe more victims could be linked to him as the financial and technical probe continues. While initially a case was registered under section 103 (murder), police have also now added section 123 (poisoning with intent to commit offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The FIR also mentions that purported CCTV footage of the incident shows the accused getting off the victims' car at 3.02 pm with a pink bag.