Three murders in 48 hours have rocked Odisha’s Cuttack and the police are suspecting the hand of a psychopath killer. A special police team was set up on Friday to identify and trace the killer.

“In last 48 hours, three murders cases have taken place in Cuttack. After seeing the pattern of the murders, we are guessing that the crimes have been committed by the same person.The victims are all homeless people…All these circumstances point towards a psychopath killer,” Police Commissioner of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Satyajit Mohanty said, according to ANI.

The top cop added: “It’s dangerous as the person is yet to be arrested. Keeping this in mind, we have taken precautions in Cuttack.”

The deaths have triggered panic in the area bringing back memories of the ‘stoneman’. Nine persons were killed by a suspected ‘stoneman’ in Berhampur in 1998.

The special team set up on Friday to net the killers comprises two police inspectors and 11 constables, city DCP Akhileswar Singh said, reports PTI.

The first body was recovered from Ranihat Bridge on Tuesday morning. Two bodies, one from near SCB Medical College and another from neighbouring OMP market, were recovered on Wednesday morning.

The throats of all the three bodies were slit and their heads were found to be smashed with a heavy object, he said.

The police have stepped up night patrolling and the homeless are being told to sleep at shelter homes, city DCP Akhileswar Singh said.

“We plan to take a few more initiatives like spreading awareness about the dangers of sleeping in the open,” he said.

The Government Railway Police (GRP) has been alerted to remain vigilant as many sleep in the open in station areas.

On June 28, two persons were found dead in Paradip, 60 km from here.

In all the incidents, including the recent one, the victims and their killers were unidentified.

First Published: Jul 26, 2019 12:28 IST