Barabanki (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 8 (ANI): Residents of Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district are in panic mode as a serial killer is on the prowl, targetting older women.

Six police teams are engaged in the search for the killer. He has been accused of targeting older women and killing them, officials with Barabanki police said.

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At the same time, police posted a picture of the accused on Social media, and appealed to people to provide information on him.

The killer has committed three murders so far, they said.

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The police officer investigating the case has now been removed and the SP has appointed another officer in his place.

The first incident was reported in Ayodhya district on 5 December 2022. The 60-year-old victim from Khusheti village of Mawai area left home for some work.

When she did not return till evening, the family members lodged a missing complaint at the police station following which a search was launched.

Later on December 6, the body was found at a secluded place.

The police said that there was no cloth on the dead body. The woman had injury marks on her face and head. The post-mortem report revealed that the woman was raped and strangulated to death, they said.

In the second incident, the body of a 62-year-old woman was recovered from a field in Barabanki district. She was also found murdered in the same manner, the police said.

There was no cloth on the body and the post-mortem report revealed that she was raped and then strangulated to death, the police said.

Similarly, on December 30, the body of a 55-year-old woman was found in Thatharha village, 3 km away from Ramsnehighat Kotwali. The pattern of murder was similar, officials said.

Police have already made the photo of the accused go viral on the internet. Barabanki and nearby police stations have been put on high alert. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)