'Serial killer' held for killing 4 women, stealing valuables

:A suspected serial killer who targetted single women coming to toddy shops and reportedly did away with four of them after his release from jail in 2018, has been arrested in Mahbubnagar district, police said.

Y Srinu (42) was arrested on Friday in connection with killing the four women over the past one year, they said.

His wife, who hid the stolen jewellery in their house, was also arrested, police said.

The man, who was earlier arrested in 10 other murder cases (which are in different stages of trial), was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007 for killing his brother.

On his release after completion of his sentence in August 2018, he committed various offences and killed the four women, police said in a press release.

Srinu, who is addicted to liquor, targetted single women coming to toddy shops wearing jewellery.

After befriending them on some pretext or the other, he allegedly killed them and stole their ornaments, police said.

They said their probe into the case relating to a woman's body found near a canal here on December 17 led to the arrest of the couple.

During interrogation, Srinu 'confessed' to having killed three more women over the past one year using a similar modus operandi, police said.