Charles Sobhraj
Charles Sobhraj (born 6 April 1944), also known as the Bikini Killer, is a French thief, fraudster and serial killer. He preyed on Western tourists throughout Southeast Asia during the 1970s. He was nicknamed The Splitting Killer and The Serpent.
| Charles Sobhraj | |
|---|---|
| Born | Hotchand Bhaonani Gurumukh Charles Sobhraj 6 April 1944 Saigon, French Indochina |
| Alias(es) | The Bikini Killer, The Splitting Killer, The Serpent |
| Spouse | Nihitha Biswas Late Chantal |
| Parents | Hatchand Sobhraj (father) Tran Loang Phun (mother) |
| Children | 1 |
Sobhraj allegedly committed at least a dozen murders. He was convicted and jailed in India from 1976 to 1997. After his release, he retired as a celebrity in Paris. In 2004 he returned to Nepal, where he was arrested and tried. In 2005 Sobhraj received a sentence of life imprisonment.[1]
In 2007 news media reported that Sobhraj's lawyer had appealed to the then French president Nicolas Sarkozy, for intervention with Nepal. In 2008 Sobhraj announced his engagement to a Nepali woman, Nihita Biswas. The authenticity of the couple's relationship was confirmed in an open letter from American conductor David Woodard to The Himalayan Times.[2]
Sobhraj is widely believed to be a psychopath. He enjoyed the attention, charging large amounts of money for interviews and movie rights. He has been the subject of four books and three documentaries. Sobhraj's return to Nepal, where he was still eagerly sought by authorities, is believed to be the result of him wanting attention.[3]
Charles Sobhraj Media
Present-day apartment building The Legend Saladaeng stands where Kanit House, where the couple based, once stood in Bang Rak, Bangkok
Statue of Sobhraj at O'Coqueiro Restaurant, Porvorim.
References
- ↑ "Sobhraj finally Convicted & Life-sentenced". Archived from the original on 25 June 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
- ↑ Singh, R., ed., Opinion—Letters, The Himalayan Times, 21 July 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ↑ Bikini Killer. http://www.asian-news-channel.tv/index.php/entertainment/67-bollywood/6120-the-bikini-killer. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
Other websites
- 'The Serpent' still haunting lives four decades on (21 June 2021) Bangkok Post