Cops identify serial killer, rapist

CHITRADURGA: The Chitradurga police team formed to investigate a spate of serial killings here has identified M Shankar alias Jai Shankar (33), a hardened criminal, as the killer. However, he is absconding. Shankar hails from Konasamudram in Edappadi taluk of Salem district.
The team headed by circle inspector P Ravi and PSI H V Sudarshan of Hiriyur police station who were entrusted with the case has succeeded in collecting clues after visiting several police stations in Tamil Nadu, including the organized crime intelligence unit at Salem and the regional transport office (RTO) at Sankagiri in Tamil Nadu.
Their breakthrough came from Sundaram, to whom Shankar had sold a cellphone robbed from one of his victims. The cellphone belonged to Rangaswamy, who was allegedly murdered by Shankar. Rangaswamy's wife, Marakka, was also raped and by Shankar on April 2 in Hiriyur. Through the IMEI number they traced Sundaram who gave police a rough sketch of the suspected killer. Based on his description, police showed Sundaram photographs of suspected criminals collected from the Sankagiri RTO office. He identified Shankar from one of the photographs. Marakka, too, identified him.