Identified as the snake”, charles sobhraja nickname that came from his ability to assume other identities to evade the Justiceis a famous serial killer from the 70swhose case inspired a successful series of Netflix.
Sobhraj, a French national, is believed to have killed at least 20 people in Afghanistan, India, Thailand, Turkey, Nepal, Iran, and Hong Kong between 1972 and 1982, victims who were strangled, beaten, or burned.
multiple identities
His tricks to elude the authorities consisted of use the passports of the men he killed to travel to his next destination.
All victims were western tourists during the movement hippywho toured the Middle East and India, a popular destination for many young Europeans and Americans at the time.
According to reports, Charles Sobhraj was fluent in several languages, lor which was useful to him when assuming the identities of his numerous victims.
His ability to commit crimes was only matched by his ability to escape from prison: believed to have escaped from prisons in Afghanistan, Greece, Iran and Indiaas reported by the BBC.
“I considered them cowardly and immoral”
He reportedly befriended his victims, giving them advice on where to dine and sometimes allowing them to stay in the Bangkok apartment he shared with his girlfriend before killing them.
“Charles Sobhraj’s specialty was to assassinate the hippies who came to discover Asia,” he explains in an article in Vice Gary Indiana, who met “the Serpent” in the 1980s. “Sobhraj had no qualms about ripping off these spiritually thirsty backpackers. He despised these people, considered them cowardly and immoral.”, he adds.
Although it is still a mystery why he murdered “hippies”, some people who closely followed his footsteps suggest that the answer may be found in childhood traumas.
Sobhraj, Born to a Vietnamese mother and an Indian father, who denied him paternity, he moved to Paris after his mother married a French citizen. From a very young age she dedicated herself to street assault and car theft. He was in reform schools and went to prison while he was still living in Europe.
Upon regaining his freedom, he undertook a trip to the Asian continent with his partner, a place that would become his center of operations.
Nepal court releases him
The “Snake”, who is currently 78 years old, was released on Friday, December 23 Kathmandu prison in Nepal where he was serving time, after spending more than two decades in prison accused of killing a Canadian tourist and her American friend in the 1970s.
The Supreme Court of the country ordered his release for poor health, good conduct and having served more than 75% of his sentence.
“If there is no other case pending against him to keep him in prison, this court orders his release for today (Wednesday) and his return to his country within 15 days,” the Court said.
Sobhraj has been transferred by the Police to the immigration services, before being deported to France, where he hopes to undergo a heart operation and recover from the health problems for which he was granted his freedom.
Charles Sobhraj, the “hippie” killer who used his victims’ passports to elude the authorities