Panjab Man Arrested for Murdering 11 Amid Personal Trauma & Social Stigma

Panjab police have arrested Ram Saroop, alias Sodhi, from Garhshankar, district Hoshiarpur for allegedly murdering 11 men over the past 18 months across Roopnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Hoshiarpur. Police say he primarily targeted men he engaged with sexually, or people who gave him rides while Sodhi was hitchhiking. He killed his victims if or when they insulted him or refused to pay for his services. Often disguised as a woman, Sodhi lured victims and then either strangled them using a cloth or bludgeoned them with bricks, leaving some bodies with the word dhokebaaz (cheater) written on their backs. Investigators learnt that since childhood, Sodhi had been hurt by repeated slurs about his sexuality; he secretly wore makeup and felt deeply rejected by family members, who allegedly abandoned him two years ago. Sodhi is married, with three children, but was unemployed. Sodhi insisted he avenged perceived threats and insults through violent outbursts. One of his victims, 37-year-old Maninder Singh from Kiratpur Sahib, was found dead on 18 Aug near a petrol pump on Manali Road; Sodhi’s muffler, left behind at the crime scene, helped police trace him. Another victim, 34-year-old tractor mechanic Mukadar Singh from Ghanauli, was discovered with grievous injuries on 5 Apr near Panjehra Road. Sodhi also confessed to killing a former soldier. Police, who remanded Sodhi for further questioning, say at least five of the murders have been confirmed, with the rest still under investigation. Medical examinations are planned to determine whether Sodhi is HIV-positive, a negative assumption many hold about people from the LGBTQ community. The case shows how personal trauma and social stigma can drive violent behavior.