Serial attacker targeting women finally in police net
06 Feb 2026 12:21:12
Staff Reporter :
The reign of terror caused by a serial attacker targeting lone women in the city ended on Thursday following a massive joint operation by Bhopal Police and Crime Branch. The accused, Devendra Ahirwar (37), who had slashed four women in a night on January 29 across Piplani and Ayodhya Nagar areas, was apprehended after an intensive week-long investigation.
Following the series of brutal attacks, where the culprit used a sharp cutter to inflict deep wounds on the faces and bodies of victims, police faced immense pressure to secure the city.
Additional Police Commissioner Awadhesh Goswami revealed that 40 specialised teams, under the leadership of Piplani Station House Officer (SHO) Chandrika Yadav and Sub-Inspector Santosh Raghuvanshi, were deployed.
The breakthrough came after the teams scanned footage from 900 CCTV cameras and combined electronic surveillance with manual intelligence.
A reward of Rs 25,000 was announced on suspect’s head.
Acting on a specific tip-off, the teams cordoned off Coach Factory area in Chhola Mandir and arrested the suspect, identified as Devendra Ahirwar (37), a native of Sagar district.
Ahirwar, who worked as a mason, had been living in a rented house in Karond area with his wife and two children. Police recovered a sharp industrial cutter and a motorcycle from his possession. Investigations revealed that the bike had been stolen four months prior specifically to execute these attacks while evading detection.
Domestic Conflict and Substance Abuse: Police investigations paint a picture of a mentally disturbed individual driven by a toxic combination of domestic strife and addiction. Following a reconciliation with his wife after a period of separation, Ahirwar allegedly committed attacks after heated arguments at home.
Officials noted that he would consume liquor and marijuana, watch pornographic content on his mobile, and then set out on his stolen bike to target women to vent his frustration. The arrest has solved cold cases dating back
over a decade. Ahirwar confessed to attacking four women in a similar “slashing” manner in Sagar in 2014, where he remained untraced. He also admitted to targeting five other women in various cities, details of which are currently being verified.
He already has five registered cases of theft, robbery, and assault in Sagar and was released on bail just months ago.Police sources revealed a chilling discovery upon scanning the suspect’s phone. Ahirwar had been searching the internet for contact details of “call girls” in Bhopal. Investigators suspect he was planning to lure them to secluded spots under the pretext of a meeting to cause them severe physical harm. n Staff Reporter
The reign of terror caused by a serial attacker targeting lone women in the city ended on Thursday following a massive joint operation by Bhopal Police and Crime Branch.
The accused, Devendra Ahirwar (37), who had slashed four women in a night on January 29 across Piplani and Ayodhya Nagar areas, was apprehended after an intensive week-long investigation.
Following the series of brutal attacks, where the culprit used a sharp cutter to inflict deep wounds on the faces and bodies of victims, police faced immense pressure to secure the city.
Additional Police Commissioner Awadhesh Goswami revealed that 40 specialised teams, under the leadership of Piplani Station House Officer (SHO) Chandrika Yadav and Sub-Inspector Santosh Raghuvanshi, were deployed.
The breakthrough came after the teams scanned footage from 900 CCTV cameras and combined electronic surveillance with manual intelligence. A reward of Rs 25,000 was announced on suspect’s head.
Acting on a specific tip-off, the teams cordoned off Coach Factory area in Chhola Mandir and arrested the suspect, identified as Devendra Ahirwar (37), a native of Sagar district.
Ahirwar, who worked as a mason, had been living in a rented house in Karond area with his wife and two children. Police recovered a sharp industrial cutter and a motorcycle from his possession. Investigations revealed that the bike had been stolen four months prior specifically to execute these attacks while evading detection.
Domestic Conflict and Substance Abuse: Police investigations paint a picture of a mentally disturbed individual driven by a toxic combination of domestic strife and addiction. Following a reconciliation with his wife after a period of separation, Ahirwar allegedly committed attacks after heated arguments at home.
Officials noted that he would consume liquor and marijuana, watch pornographic content on his mobile, and then set out on his stolen bike to target women to vent his frustration.
The arrest has solved cold cases dating back
over a decade. Ahirwar confessed to attacking four women in a similar “slashing” manner in Sagar in 2014, where he remained untraced. He also admitted to targeting five other women in various cities, details of which are currently being verified.
He already has five registered cases of theft, robbery, and assault in Sagar and was released on bail just months ago.Police sources revealed a chilling discovery upon scanning the suspect’s phone. Ahirwar had been searching the internet for contact details of “call girls” in Bhopal. Investigators suspect he was planning to lure them to secluded spots under the pretext of a meeting to cause them severe physical harm.