'Dr Death' praises Maharashtra Police for cracking case, says 'a great salute to you'

Mumbai: In an unexpected move, Dr Santosh Pol, dubbed as 'Dr Death', praised police for cracking the case that led to his arrest last week.

In a hand-written note addressed to Superintendent of Police Sandip Patil, Dr Death, arrested for murdering at least six persons between 2003 and 2016, saying, "SP Sir, firstly a great salute to you".

The letter read: "If you ask me why I am doing all this, then the question should be asked to the corrupt officials from the (police) department and the dormant society between 2003 and 2016. It was a police inspector from the local crime branch and the in-charge officer of Wai police station who cracked the case last month.”

'Dr Death' was arrested last week on the charges of kidnapping and killing a 49-year-old aanganwadi worker.

The persons whom Pol allegedly killed comprised five women and one man.

As per the police, Pol killed Surekha Chikane on May 20, 2003. On August 12, 2006, he killed Vanita Gaikwad; on August 13, 2010, he killed Jagabai Pol. Nathamal Bhandari, a jeweller, was killed on December 7, 2015. On January 17, 2016, he murdered Salma Shaikh, and on June 16 he killed Mangala Jedhe. It was Jedhe's disappearance which led the police to him.

Pol and his associate, a nurse Jyoti Pandurang Mandre, have been arrested and charged with the kidnap and murder of Mangal Jedhe, which blew the lid off the shocking crimes.