A chilling case from Uttar Pradesh has resurfaced after decades. In Lucknow, a local court has convicted notorious serial killer and cannibal Raja Kolandar — also known as Ram Niranjan Kol — for a brutal double murder committed 25 years ago. The court found him guilty on Monday, and sentencing by Judge Rohit Singh is scheduled for Friday.

Convicted of Multiple Murders, Including That of a Journalist

Raja Kolandar, infamous for collecting human skulls and consuming human brain soup, along with his brother-in-law Bachchraj Kol, was found guilty of abducting and murdering 22-year-old Manoj Kumar Singh and his driver Ravi Srivastava in 2000.

The duo had already been convicted in an earlier case — the high-profile murder of journalist Dhirendra Singh. In that case, 14 human skulls were discovered at Raja’s farmhouse, revealing the macabre extent of his crimes. They were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Cannibal Who Drank Brain Soup

What shocked investigators most was the revelation that Kolandar was a cannibal. Witness testimonies and forensic findings revealed that he would behead his victims, extract their brains, and drink them in the form of soup — part of his twisted belief in gaining strength and power.

Delayed Justice: A 25-Year Legal Journey

The double murder case dates back to January 24, 2000, when Manoj and Ravi left Lucknow for Rewa. On their way, they reportedly picked up six passengers, including a woman, near Charbagh railway station. Their last known location was a tea stall in Harchandpur, Raebareli — after which they vanished.

Three days later, a missing person’s report was filed. Despite a lengthy search, their mutilated bodies were only discovered later in the forests of Shankargarh, Prayagraj.

Although the charge sheet was filed in March 2001, the case got mired in procedural delays. The trial finally began in 2013. In court, Shiv Harsh Singh, Manoj’s father, and his brother Shiv Shankar Singh were key witnesses. Shiv Shankar identified Manoj’s brown coat at the accused’s house, helping link the murders to Raja Kolandar.

A Deadly Trail of Crime and Horror

Originally a civilian employee at the Central Ordnance Depot (COD) in Naini, Raja Kolandar hails from Shankargarh in Prayagraj. His real identity — Ram Niranjan Kol — only came to light after his arrest. Investigators now describe his crimes as cold-blooded, premeditated, and deeply disturbing.