Mahanand gets third life sentence

IndiaTimes.com

April 5, 2012

PONDA: Mahanand Naik, allegedly accused of killing 16 women, got a third life sentence when the North Goa sessions court sentenced him to life imprisonment for killing Yogita Naik in 2009.

Mahanand is also facing life sentences in the murders of Vasanti Gaude in 1995 and another woman from Curca in 2007. In seven other murder cases he was acquitted as the prosecution failed to prove the cases.

He has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment in a rape case.

Mahanand had strangulated Yogita with her dupatta on January 10, 2009, after taking her to a cashew plantation in Morlem, Sattari.

He had then robbed her gold ornaments and hanged the body to a cashew tree. Later, he had sold the ornaments to a goldsmith in Bicholim.

Mahanand guilty in 3rd murder case

IndiaTimes.com

February 19, 2012

PONDA: The district and sessions court, Panaji, on Saturday held alleged serial killer Mahanand Naik guilty of killing Yogita alias Balika Khushali Naik, 30, a resident of Nagzar Curti, Ponda, in January 2009.

This is Mahanand's third conviction for murder. Accused of killing 16 women, the Shiroda resident has been sentenced to undergo life imprisonment in two separate murder cases, while being acquitted in eight cases. He has also been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for rape.

Principal district and sessions judge Nutan Sardesai held Mahanand guilty for Yogita's murder under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 364 (kidnapping for killing), 392 (robbery), and 201 (disappearance of evidence).

The court has adjourned the case to March 1 for hearing both parties before deciding on imposition of sentence.

Ponda police had filed a chargesheet against Mahanand after he made a statement on April 25, 2009, that he killed Yogita at Morlem, Sattari, in Janaury 2009. Mahanand is believed to have revealed this during his custodial interrogation in connection with a rape case.

The Valpoi police had recovered a decomposed body that was hanging from a cashew tree on January 20, 2009. During the autopsy, police had preserved some vital organs which were sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Hyderabad, for DNA profiling in May 2009. The CFSL concluded that the body recovered was that of Yogita.

A senior scientific officer's statement to the court in June 2011 stated that the tissue sent by the police for conducting the DNA test belonged to the 'biological female offspring of Yogita's parents'.

Police said Mahanand, as he was wont to do with his other victims, had befriended Yogita under the pretext of marrying her. On January 10, 2009, he took her to a cashew plantation in Morlem and strangulated her with her dupatta. After killing her, he stole her gold ornaments valued at Rs 80,000.

Anjani Gaonkar murder case: Mahanand Naik acquitted

IndiaTimes.com

August 10, 2011

PONDA: The North Goa district and sessions court at Panaji on Tuesday acquitted alleged serial killer Mahanand Naik in the Anjani Gaonkar murder case.

The crime had occurred near the Opa water treatment plant in Ponda in August 2005.

According to the police chargesheet, Naik had allegedly taken the victim near the plant and had strangulated her to death before robbing her of her jewellery.

He later sold the jewellery to a goldsmith.

Police said that Naik, on May 8, 2009, confessed to killing the 28-year-old Gaonkar in August 2005.

He was then chargesheeted under Sections 302 (murder), 364 (kidnapping), 392 (robbery) and 201 (destroying evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

With this judgment, Naik, who is accused of allegedly killing 16 women, has been acquitted in eight murder cases.

He has, however, been sentenced to life imprisonment in two murder cases and has a seven-year jail term for a rape case.

Serial killer Mahanand Naik sentenced to life in murder case

IndianExpress.com

July 21, 2011

A local court has sentenced serial killer Mahanand Naik to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of Vasanti Gawde, who was believed to be his first victim.

Additional District and Sessions Court on Wednesday convicted Mahanand for life and also imposed a fine of Rs 1.3 lakh, which will be given to the family of the victim. 40-year-old Mahanand had killed Vasanti on September 11, 1995, by luring her to an isolated place at Bethora village, 35 kilometres away from Panaji.

She was strangulated to death using a dupatta by the killer, who robbed off all her gold ornaments.

Mahanand, who used to drive an auto-rickshaw, was seen by Vasanti's cousin, travelling with her in Ponda city.

Police stated that in 1995, Mahanand was picked up as a suspect in Vasanti's case but was later let off giving him benefit of doubt.

The serial killer since then has killed 16 women during 1995-2009 when he was finally arrested for raping his wife's friend.

The court convicted Naik for abduction, robbery, murder and destroying evidence and fined him for Rs 1.3 lakh.

This was his second conviction as he is already undergoing life imprisonment in a similar murder case.

Court acquits Goa's 'dupatta killer' in two more murder cases

IndiaTimes.com

December 1, 2010

PANAJI: Giving him benefit of doubt, Goa's "dupatta killer" Mahanand Naik was acquitted in two murder cases on Wednesday by a local court here.

With this, he has been acquitted in seven cases so far. Mahanand Naik, also known as the dupatta killer, has been booked for killing 18 women spanning 15 years from 1995 till last year, when he was arrested in a rape case.

Principal Session Judge Nutan Sardessai acquitted him today in the murder cases of Darshana Naik (21) and Sunita Gaonkar (31), giving him benefit of doubt. Darshana was killed in 1994 and Sunita in 2003.

As per the chargesheet, Mahanand Naik had killed Darshana at Bambolim in September 1994. Her body was found abandoned near Goa Medical College and Hospital near here.

In the second case, the police had charged him of killing Sunita in January 2003. Sunita's body is yet to be traced.

Police claimed he had killed the women with an intention to rob them of their gold ornaments.

As per the police, he used to strangulate them by taking them on a date at an isolated place.

Mahanand was arrested in 2009 by Ponda police after a 23-year-old alleged that she was raped by him.

During the interrogation, Mahanand allegedly confessed to a series of murders.

Mahanand Naik: Goan serial killers head count mounts to sixteen

By Armstrong Vaz - DigitalJournal.com

June 2, 2009

Mahanand Naik is his name. But, Mah(a)-{great}-anand (joy) has certainly not brought joy and ecstasy but instead has brought gloom and miseries to many families in Goa over the last fifteen years.

He has turned to be disgrace to his parents and a source of discomfort to his wife Pooja and their one-and-half-year old girl child. The three-wheel rickshaw driver from the temple town of Ponda in the Indian state of Goa has emerged as one of the notorious serial killer in recent memory, in a state which has never seen a serial killing spree of such proportions.

He has lost track of the names of the young girls, in the age-group of 25 to 35, he had murdered from the period from 1995 to 2008. He has mentioned sixteen of them, when reports last came in, but the head count is increasing.

Mahanand took sheer thrills in conning young girls in his love trap with the false promise of marriage and then killing each of them with the long scarf (dupatta). If Jack the Ripper’s criminal exploits has had been confined to history in England, Mahanand has given India its own version. He is dubbed as a “Dupatta killer” for strangulating each of the girls with their scarfs.

The coastal state has been rocketed by shock and indignation in the way the forty-year-old went on killing young girls without raising suspicious in the community he lived and also how the police failed to pin him for the number of murder s he undertook over the last one and half decade.

But Mahaanad proved to be a more than smart killer who outfoxed many a people with his smooth talk. His modus Operandi was the same with each of the girls he has had killed so far. Earn the trust and confidence of the young girls. The first part done, he would then proceed to make a proposal to marry them.

Having played his role in striking a cupid arrow through the young girls heart he would fix a date, on which she (the girl to be killed) would be taken to be shown to ‘his parents’.

He was following the Indian tradition, where the nuptial tie of children is approved by the parents or in their absence, by the elder members of the family. The nuptial tie had to be ratified by ‘his parents’. So the girls were requested by him to be dressed in full splendor so as to earn the approval of ‘his parents’.

In a country where wearing gold is both fashionable and a matter of prestige Mahanand asked his ‘prospective wife’ to wear all her gold ornaments to impress ‘ his parents’.

But, instead of the girls being paraded before ‘his parents’ they ended up being strangulated to death in lonely and deserted places- hillocks, railway tunnels, cashew plantations, small rivulets and water bodies in different parts of Goa.

How Mahanand convinced the girls in taking the route to lonely places instead of his original destination to his house, is a question which will be best answered by him during police investigations which are going on. Police are busy collection every day new pieces of evidence to link him to the numerous murders, after he was first arrested on a rape charge in April this year.

According to press reports, Naik has been termed as a calculated killer. He picked each of the girls he sought to murder after thoroughly studying the family background and age-group of the girl. Further police point out that he stripped the dead bodies of the victims of their clothes to make identification difficult.

He would then escape with the gold and money, leaving the bodies to rot in water or push them in the bushes.

Almost all the cases where highly decomposed bodies of the murdered girls were recovered by the police were closed as ‘unnatural death’. Most of the murder cases occurred in and around Ponda police area jurisdiction but some missing reports were lodged in other police stations in Goa. In some cases parents of the missing girls did not lodge police complains over the missing girls as they believed that lodging a report would stigmatize their family.

Elopement with a lover is considered a deplorable and degradable act in Indian society, and the missing girls parents were under the impression that their daughter has eloped with someone.

But some of the parents who lodged their complaints allege that they did not get fair justice at the hand of the police in terms of investigations, as a result he continued his killing spree.

The serial killer would have continued his killing spree had it not been a girl from his own locality, and his wife’s friend, who took the courage to complain to the police over the rape committed by Mahanand. The blackmailing calls she was continuously getting from Mahanand over the telephone proved to be his waterloo.

Once called for questioning over the over the rape charges, the murder jigsaw unfolded one by one and is still going on. The killing spree which has shocked the entire country.

People on their part are questioning whether it was part of the system failure on the part of the police or the so called lazy attitude of the police handling the cases which allowed Mahanand to get away with so many murders.

Mahanand on his part has lost track of the names of the girls he became friendly and whom he ultimately murdered, after luring them with the promise of marriage. As police continue their questioning the head count is definitely going to rise as more and families are coming forward to register missing complaints which they had earlier desisted from lodging.

Mahanand's list of murders touches 14

IndiaTimes.com

May 29, 2009

PONDA: Mahanand Naik confessed on Thursday to having killed two more women, taking the number of murders he has admitted to have committed to 14. His latest victims are Nirmala Rama Amonkar from Rivona and Bhagu Upaskar from Tambdi Surla.

Ponda DySP Serafin Dias informed that Mahanand had taken Nirmala, 32, from Rivona to Verna plateau and killed her there in February 2008. Verna police had recovered the body in February 2008 from the plateau and had registered a case of unnatural death.

Similarly, Bhagu Upaskar, age not confirmed, was taken from Tambdi Surla to Quepem and killed by Mahanand in 2007. Quepem police had recovered this body too and an unnatural death had been registered.

Mahanand, nicknamed "dupatta killer" had strangulated both women. However, Nirmala's head was bruised to an extent so as to conceal her identity. Another technique Mahanand used to hide the identity of those he killed was abandoning the body without clothes. He was seemingly aware that people described the clothes the person was wearing when last seen, the Dy SP said.

As per information collected, the police said, the young women were lured by the accused with the promise of marriage. He called them to different places and in the same manner he used with the others, Mahanand took them to remote places and strangulated them with their own dupattas.

Mahanand also confessed to having removed their jewellery after killing them and selling it, police said. Police fear that the number of killings by Mahanand could stretch further.

Till date Mahanand has confessed to killing Darshan Naik, 22, in 1994, Vasanti Gawade, 19, in 1995, Sunita Gaonkar, 31, in 2003, Bhagi Satarkar, 30, in 2004, Anjani Gaonkar, 28, in 2005, Surat Gaonkar, 30, in 2006, Deepali Jotkar, 22, in 2006, Nirmala Ghadi, 28, in 2007, Kesar Naik, 33, in 2007, Sushila alias Shashi Fatarpekar, 30, in 2007, Nayana Gaonkar, 30, in 2008 and Yogita alias Balika Naik, 30, in 2009.

Mahanand says he killed two more

IndiaTimes.com

May 13, 2009

PONDA: Mahanand Naik, 40, nicknamed "dupatta killer", confessed to two more killings, taking the number of those he admits to having murdered to nine.

The two women he confessed to killing on Tuesday are Nirmala Kanta Ghadi, 28, from Betki Khandola, missing from May 11, 2007 and Surat Harischandra Gaonkar, 30, from Panchwadi missing from March 16, 2006.

Nirmala was killed below the Borim bridge, while Surat was killed at Sanvordem, Ponda police said.

Nirmala's mother Kanta Ghadi identified the accused on May 8 and a missing complaint was registered with the police. However, there has been no complaint regarding Surat. Both women were wearing jewellery when they went missing, police informed.

According to the police, Mahanand used a similar modus operandi in all the cases. He took the women to a remote area, strangulated them with their own dupattas, removed any jewellery and sold it. He, however, has not disclosed how he disposed off the bodies of Nirmala and Surat, police said.

Mahanand had been arrested for allegedly raping his wife's friend on April 21 and since then has confessed to nine killings. Police fear that the list of killings could stretch further. Ponda police are examining two other cases of girls from Ponda who have gone missing.

Till Tuesday, Police stated that Mahanand had confessed to killing Darshan Naik in 1994, Vasanti Gawade in 1995, Sunita Gaonkar in 2003, Anjani Gaonkar in 2005, Surat Gaonkar in 2006, Nirmala Ghadi in 2007, Kesar Naik in 2007, Nayana Gaonkar in 2008 and Yogita Naik in 2009.

The police are also probing the disappearance of Gulabi Gaonkar, found dead at Nandran-Khandepar in 1994 and one Sunita.

Ponda police have registered the cases under section 364 (kidnapping for the intention of murder), 392 (robbery), 302 (murder) and 201 (destroying evidences) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Goa: Tale of a village where Serial Killer Mahanand Naik Lived

Special Correspondent Daijiworld Media Network - Goa

May 6, 2009

Shiroda (Goa), May 6: A sleepy village adjoining temple town of Ponda in North Goa is suddenly baffled with the developing story of a serial lady killer who has confessed of killing four young women living around the village in last 15 years.

Taravalem, a village, 50 kms away from Panaji, is wearing a tensed look after Mahanand Naik (40), who was arrested for raping his wife’s friend has opened up pandora’s box during the police investigation.

The frail looking married man, who is having a four year old daughter, has confessed of killing five women in last 15 years. Mahanand, former rickshaw driver and currently unemployed husband of the woman working with Indian council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) used to befriend girls and kill them by luring them to isolated spots.

“He has confessed of five crimes and many more are likely to be revealed in near future,” deputy superintendent of police Serafin Dias said. at Ponda police station.

Mahanand’s house is in ashes right now as the mob last week burnt it on May one, after he confessed of killing three girls. Every passing day, the count of Mahanand’s sin is increasing and according to the police, they suspect his involvement in three more killings taking the toll to seven.

“All girls hail from lower middle class families who used to get entrapped in Mahanand’s net as he used to promise them to get married,” Dias states.

On the D-day, he used to call them loaded with jewellary to introduce them to his father or sister and later kill them to rob away the gold.

The list of Mahanand’s prey includes – Darshana Naik (1994), Vasanti Gawade (1995), Kesar Naik (2007) and Yogita Naik (2009). While in two cases he abandoned the body, in rest two he threw them in river after robbing the gold.

Back to Taravalem, the village, which is entirely dependent on agriculture for its sustainance, the unfolding mystry of Mahanand’s killings, have baffled the entire village.

Lying in the ashes is Mahanand’s house which is situated just next to Government Primary School. “I don’t know him much… We never used to talk to his family,” a young lad, who refused to name himself and talk on Mahanand, said.

The reaction represents the entire village where no one is ready to talk about this guy next door.

The sanctum sanctorum in the house, is the only intact thing in the structure, which used to house Mahanand’s joint family. On May 1, the unidentified mob burnt the house into ashes.

“It was outburst of people’s anger. It’s immaterial that the house was vandalized. We are ashamed of his activity and boy has brought bad name for the entire village,” Subash Shirodkar, former Shiroda legislator and current Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Chief, told PTI.

“Issue is that his house was vandalized or burnt, the issue is the cold blooded murders that he committed,” Shirodkar quips advising the media that they should not sensationalise the issue of `house burning.’

“When I heard the news about serial killing, I felt very sad. This should not have happened to such a peaceful village,” Shirodkar, who represented the village for almost three decades only to lose in the last assembly elections, said.

Many victims would have been saved from the agony, if Mahanand was arrested in 1995 itself.

Deputy superintendent of police Serafin Dias admitted that the police had arrested Mahanand in 1995 when Vasanti Gawade’s cousin, Raghunath, had told the police that his sister was seen last time with the killer.

“Police had to release him after rickshaw operators from Ponda city led morcha to the police station in support of Mahanand,” the DySP conceded.

Mahanand used to operate rickshaw of his own till 2005 and gave up the profession after his vehicle became old and had to be scrapped. “Thereafter, he was doing nothing,” Dias said.

Police revealed that Mahanand was staying back home to look after his ailing four year old daughter while his wife worked with ICAR.

“He was never active in social life… I never saw him in the villager although I toured the village for last several years. I saw him just 15 days back,” Shirodkar said.

The GPCC chief, who runs a chain of educational institutes in Shiroda village adjacent to Taravalem, said that Mahanand’s family was never politically inclined towards any party. “They were not active socially,” he said.

Mahanand was arrested on April 20 and thereafter the eerie of silence has descended on Taravalem village. The doors are shut for unknown people who utter word `Mahanand.’ And as this reporter went to the village on Tuesday, the only quote got from the villagers is that `Mahanand’s wife is not in the village. You need to go to Sanvordem town where she has shifted with her parents.’

Rest was just silence laced with complete disgust over the serial killer, who has allegedly committed the most heinous crime in the coastal state of Goa.

Panaji: Police Suspect Serial Killer Mahanand Naik's Role in More Cases

Special correspondent Daijiworld Media Network -Panaji

May 3, 2009

Panaji, May 3: The mystery behind yet another disappearance of young girl from Goa is likely to be solved with Police linking the incident to the serial killer who was nabbed in Ponda town recently.

Mahanand Naik (40) was arrested by police in connection with raping and blackmailing his wife’s friend. Subsequent investigations had revealed that the accused had killed two young women in last 14 years.

One more instance of alleged killing surfaced on Saturday when a family of Vanita Gaude, who has been missing since 1995, claimed involvement of Mahanand in her disappearance.

Ramnath Gaude, Vanita’s cousin, who saw the missing girl last time with the accused has lodged a complaint with Ponda police.

Gaude stated that Ramnath had lured his cousin with a promise to get married in 1995, when she was 19 years old and had accosted her from Ponda bus stand. Thereafter, the girl went on missing.

Mahanand has confessed of two killings of such nature wherein the girls were lured to various places and killed to rob the gold.

“The accused used to tell the victims to wear gold and later kill them. In Vanita’s case too, he had told her that he is introducing her to his father and had asked to wear gold ornaments,” police stated.

The Gaude family had then complained to the police against Mahanand but had to give up after police investigations ruled out his involvement in the offence.

Police inspector C L Patil stated that the accused appears to be a serial killer and few such cases are likely to come forward during the interrogation.

Mahanand has confessed of killing two young girls – Darshan Naik (1994) and Yogita Naik (2009).

The young unsuspecting girls used to fall for Mahanand. “His modus operandi was to take them to isolated spot.. Make them get naked under guise of having sex and later kill them and rob away the golden ornaments,” police stated.

The decomposed bodies of these young girls were found at different spots forcing police to believe it as an instance of suicide.

Mahanand’s family had to face ire at their native town of Shiroda when irate mob on Friday night set their house on fire.

Mahanand Naik

Mahanand Naik