Jaipur, May 21 Devendra Sharma, infamously known as "Dr. Death" and accused of more than 50 murders, arrested recently from Rajasthan by the Delhi police, was residing as Sant Dayadas Maharaj, a self-styled godman in Dausa.
He was arrested by the police while living under a false identity at Rameshwar Dham Temple in Dausa's Gulisa.
Sharma, a former doctor, had been absconding for years before re-emerging as "Sant Dayadas Maharaj", a self-styled godman, said police officials.
Police are now investigating how Sharma managed to avoid detection for so long and whether any accomplices helped him maintain his saintly disguise.
A deeper probe is underway to identify additional victims and uncover the full extent of his crimes, they added.
Police officials were shocked to see that Sharma had been living comfortably inside the temple premises, where he had installed modern amenities such as air conditioning, RO water filters, a cooler, WiFi, and CCTV cameras.
Posing as a saint, he earned the trust of locals by offering discourses, Ayurvedic treatments and spiritual counselling.
He even participated in public events alongside local politicians, further strengthening his false persona.
Residents expressed disbelief and horror when police revealed the true identity of "Dayadas Maharaj".
Once seen as a healer and revered figure, Sharma's arrest stunned the community.
"We never imagined a serial killer was living among us," said one local.
Sharma reportedly earned a significant income from his "treatment services" and even transported medicines via bus from Jaipur.
He has confessed to more than 50 murders, many of which involved luring taxi drivers, killing them, and selling their vehicles in the grey market in different markets for Rs 20,000 to 25,000 per vehicle.
He was convicted in seven separate cases across Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana, and had already been sentenced to life imprisonment.
However, he absconded during parole and remained in hiding for years.
Born in Bihar's Siwan, Sharma's father worked in a pharmaceutical company.
In 1984, he graduated with a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery and established the Janata Clinic in Bandikui in 1985.
He ran the clinic for 11 years before turning to a life of crime in 1995.
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