Charles Sobhraj
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A brief biography
As in 2022
Dec 23, 2022: The Times of India
Notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj was released from a jail in Nepal, following an order from the country's Supreme Court earlier this week. Sobhraj (78) served more than 18 years in prison after being convicted for the murder of two American tourists in 1975. He was released on
Born in 1944 in Vietnam, Sobhraj was the son of an Indian father and Vietnamese mother. He moved to France at a young age and became involved in criminal activity early on, including petty theft and fraud.
In the 1970s, Sobhraj traveled to Southeast Asia, where he began committing more serious crimes, including murder.
Sobhraj's crimes were characterized by his cunning and ability to manipulate those around him. He picked his victims, using his charm and good looks to lure them into his trap.
Sobhraj targeted tourists, particularly backpackers, in Thailand, Nepal, and India. He would often befriend and then drug them, stealing their possessions and identification.
In some cases, he killed his victims and disposed of their bodies in a gruesome manner, earning him the moniker "Bikini Killer."
Sobhraj was finally caught in 1976 in New Delhi, after a series of murders and theft at the city's Ashoka Hotel. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Sobhraj ultimately spent 21 years in jail, with a brief break in 1986 when he escaped and was caught again in the Indian coastal state of Goa.
Released in 1997, Sobhraj retired to Paris but resurfaced in 2003 in Nepal, where he was spotted in Kathmandu's tourist district and arrested.
A court there handed him a life sentence the following year for killing US tourist Connie Jo Bronzich in 1975. A decade later he was also found guilty of killing Bronzich's Canadian companion.
Sobhraj's story has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and movies, including the TV series "The Serpent," which was released in 2021.
