On friday, a lucknow cout sentenced the notorious serial killer Ram Niranjan, alias Raja Kolander, and his brother-in-law Vakshraj to life imprisonment. A resident of Prayagraj, Raja Kolander carried out more than 14 murders, with his brutality and savagery shaking the entire nation. This court verdict, coming after 25 years, has once again raised questions about the pace of the judicial system.
Journalist Dhirendra Singh’s Murder Unveiled the Truth
In the year 2000, the murder of Dhirendra Singh, a journalist with a Hindi daily newspaper in Prayagraj, brought this case into the spotlight. On December 16, 2000, Dhirendra Singh’s last phone call was recorded to Raja Kolander’s landline number. Subsequently, on December 18, the police took Raja Kolander and his brother-in-law Vakshraj into custody. During interrogation, the police recovered several human skulls and bones from Kolander’s farmhouse, exposing the true nature of this monster. Kolander confessed that he would kill people over trivial matters. He revealed that he dismembered the bodies, consumed their flesh, and made soup from their brains after extracting them from the skulls.
Raja Kolander’s Cruelty No Less Than a Horror film
Raja Kolander’s story of brutality is nothing short of a horror film. He not only committed murders but also killed his victims in the most inhumane ways. The police recovered a diary from his farmhouse, which he referred to as his “court diary.” In this diary, he categorized his victims by their names and castes. Kolander considered himself a king and judge, passing verdicts on his victims. He told the police that he once killed a few people simply because they refused to give him a lift from Allahabad to Lucknow.
Lucknow Court Sentences to Life Imprisonment
In the case of Dhirendra Singh’s murder, Raja Kolander and Vakshraj were sentenced to life imprisonment on November 30, 2012. However, the prosecution failed to prove the charges of 14 other murders and cannibalism, due to which the court did not classify the case as “rarest of rare” and did not award the death penalty. On May 23, 2025, the Lucknow court once again sentenced both to life imprisonment, along with one year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹1,000 under Section 404 of the Indian Penal Code.
Netflix Series on Raja Kolander’s Story
In 2022, Netflix released a series titled Indian Predator: Diary of a Serial Killer, which depicted Raja Kolander’s story across three episodes. The series analyzed Kolander’s mental state, his actions, and his behavior in prison. Experts stated that Kolander committed such crimes driven by a desire for power and dominance. The series also highlighted how his diary pointed to 13 other potential murders.
Questions Raised on Delayed Justice
This verdict, delivered after 25 years, has once again raised questions about India’s judicial process. Many believe that for such a heinous crime, Kolander should have been hanged long ago. One user wrote, “A sentence after 25 years, and that too just life imprisonment—this is not justice.” Meanwhile, some have questioned whether keeping such a monster in jail is even safe, given that his savagery knows no bounds.
