Ram Saroop alias Sodhi, a serial killer accused of killing eleven men in Punjab, revealed to the police that deep emotional trauma triggered by derogatory remarks about his sexuality was the driving force behind the murders.

Ram Saroop, who allegedly targeted men on Punjab’s highways, told the police that he couldn’t come to terms with sexual slurs and innuendos about his sexuality and reacted to such acts violently. His deep emotional distress due to people’s reactions to his sexuality pushed him into killing 11 men over 18 months, reported India Today.

Sodhi used to dress as a woman to lure his victims, reported the channel, adding that he would target men who insulted him or refused to pay for his sexual services.

The serial killer allegedly told the police that his last victim, 37-year-old Maninder Singh, had mocked his sexuality and made disparaging remarks about his body. The victim had given a lift to him on his motorcycle.

The victim’s body was found near Kiratpur Sahib. The police found Sodhi’s muffler which eventually led to his arrest.

Sodhi had embraced his homosexual identity at the age of 22. However, the rejection and insults he faced from some of his victims seemed to have deeply affected his psyche, pushing him to commit acts of violence, the channel reported.

He only killed men who rejected him or failed to meet his demands after sex. He killed his first victim, Harpreet Singh, after the latter refused to pay the agreed-upon amount after sex.

When he was arrested, he was dressed as a woman, searching for his potential victims.

Sodhi is a native of Chaura in Hoshiarpur district.

His last victim, who used to serve tea and water at Toll Plaza Modra, was murdered on August 18.

Also read: Bareilly murders: India’s grisly tryst with serial killers

He used to strangle his victims while in some cases he used objects like bricks to commit the crime, police said.

With inputs from PTI