The Reign of Terror: M. Jaishankar's Rampage In South India

The mere mention of M. Jaishankar sent chills down people's spines. A ruthless criminal, a sexual predator, and a serial killer who wreaked havoc across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

M. Jaishankar in his youth. Source The Hindu

M. Jaishankar, also infamously known as "Psycho Shankar," terrorized the southern region of India with his heinous crimes, leaving a trail of unspeakable horrors in his wake. His reign of terror spanned from 2008 to 2011, during which he committed a spate of rapes, murders, and robberies across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. The notorious criminal is said to have been involved in nearly 30 cases, and at the time of his death, he was accused of brutally murdering at least 19 women.

Born in the sleepy village of Kanniyanpatti in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, to Maari Muthu, Jaishankar started his career as a truck driver. However, his thirst for violence and criminal activities proved too strong to resist, and in 2008, he embarked on a path of destruction. His first reported crime occurred on July 3, 2009, when he attempted to rape and murder 45-year-old P. Shyamala in Perandahalli. By August of the same year, he had raped and killed 12 women and assaulted another six. With a machete tucked away in his trusty black handbag, Jaishankar was known to use lethal force against anyone who dared resist him. His preferred targets were sex workers near roadside restaurants and women living in rural farmhouses.

Jaishankar's crimes finally caught up with him when he was arrested on August 23, 2009, for raping and murdering a 39-year-old police constable. The constable was stationed at the Kangeyam all-women police station but was on temporary duty at Perumanallur during the visit of Deputy Chief Minister M. K. Stalin. Jaishankar kidnapped her, repeatedly raped her, and then killed her. Her body was found a month later on September 19. Jaishankar and his accomplice P Mohan Selvam were initially charged with the murder of 50-year- person in Namakkal on September 10, 2009. However, they were later acquitted in 2014 due to insufficient evidence resulting from lapses in the investigation.

Despite his arrest, Jaishankar managed to escape custody and sparked a manhunt across the country. On October 19, 2009, he was finally apprehended and locked up in the Coimbatore Central Prison, where he faced a staggering 13 separate counts of rape and murder across Tiruppur, Salem, and Dharmapuri. In custody, Jaishankar revealed that he enjoyed torturing his victims before killing them.

However, the nightmare was far from over. On March 17, 2011, Jaishankar was taken to a fast-track court in Dharmapuri for trial on yet another murder charge. The following day, he managed to escape while being transported back to Coimbatore, leaving in his wake the tragedy of armed reserve police constables M. Chinnasamy and Rajavelu. Chinnasamy took his life by shooting himself on March 19, devastated by the escape.

In an attempt to escape from the Bangalore Central Prison on 25th February 2018, Jaishankar made a futile effort and was consequently placed in solitary confinement. However, on 27th February, he tragically took his own life by slitting his throat with a shaving blade that he had obtained from a barber a day prior. The jail staff discovered his lifeless body drenched in blood around 2:30 a.m. during their routine checks and immediately administered first aid. Despite their efforts, Jaishankar was declared dead at 5:10 a.m. after being transferred to Victoria Hospital.