History has witnessed the rise and fall of several killers. They have gained recognition for different reasons and it has ranged from their style of murder or the weapon they have used to commit the crime. The list is too long and exhaustive. One such notorious criminal that has been on top of the list over the years is Charles Sobhraj.
Sobhraj is known for targeting Western tourists during the 70s while traveling on the hippie trail of South Asia. He committed murders between 1963 and 1976 and although 12 people were said to be his victims, some sources claim the number went up to 30.
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How Did Charles Sobhraj Become The Bikini Killer?
Charles Sobhraj has been described as ‘The Bikini Killer’ for his ability to target young ladies and they were mostly young western backpackers. He was given this nickname after a young woman’s body was discovered on Thailand-based Pattaya beach during the 70s. Other reports state that he was given the name due to the attire of his victims.
A majority of Sobhraj’s victims were beaten, strangled, or burned to death. He reportedly used the passports of his victims for mysterious trips associated with the trade in precious stones and drugs. The 78-year-old has also been given the title of ‘The Serpent’ for being an expert in deception and evasion. A Netflix series has also been made chronicling his blood-spattered life of crime.
Sobhraj was involved in around 20 murders and was sentenced to 21 years in India on charges of murdering someone from Israel and poisoning a French tourist.
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What Happened To Charles Sobhraj? Is He In Jail?
According to sources, Charles Sobhraj murdered around 20 tourists and 14 of them were from Thailand. He was charged and sentenced in India from 1976 to 1997 and later returned to France.
After that, he traveled to Nepal in 2003 where he was arrested and given a life sentence. He remained in prison for 19 years but was released on December 21, 2022, because of his old age. He was eventually deported to France on December 23, 2022.
Charles Sobhraj tied the knot with Nihita Biswas in prison in 2010. She also donated blood for him during an open-heart operation in 2017.
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