Behind a gentle smile and a humble job as a primary school physical education teacher lay one of India's most dangerous serial killers, Mohan Kumar, widely known as "Cyanide Mohan". Between 2003 and 2009, this deadly man targeted young, unmarried women across Karnataka and Kerala, using fake promises of love and a settled future to destroy their lives.
The Trap of Love, Fake Marriage, and Deadly Poison
Mohan method was simple, clever, and cruel. He focused on young women aged 22 to 35 who belonged to poor or middle class families struggling to pay dowry or find a groom. Posing as a caring lover or a prospective husband, he won their trust and convinced them to leave their homes with their gold jewellery and savings. He took them to cheap lodges in different cities, spent time with them, and promised a quiet temple wedding.
The horror unfolded the next morning. Mohan gave the women a small white pill, claiming it was a simple contraceptive to avoid pregnancy. In reality, the pill contained deadly cyanide. He instructed them to take the pill inside public bus stand restrooms to avoid suspicion. Within minutes of taking the poison, the victims collapsed and died alone. Mohan then quietly returned to the lodge, packed their gold and valuables, and vanished without leaving a trace. His reign of terror finally ended in October 2009 when police tracked a missing girl mobile phone straight to him. Authorities linked him to the murders of 20 women. Courts later convicted Cyanide Mohan, sentencing him to life imprisonment. His horrific story remains a chilling reminder of how dangerous hidden monsters can be.
