A convicted serial killer known as the ‘bikini killer’ for his penchant for preying on young female backpackers in South Asia has returned to his native France. Charles Sobhraj was deported by the Nepalese authorities onboard a packed Qatar Airways flight following his release from prison, where he spent almost two decades.
Sobhraj, 78, rose to notoriety after he was convicted of murdering young female backpackers in the 1970s. He is believed to have killed at least 20 innocent tourists, including around 14 in Thailand, where he preyed on backpackers on the so-called ‘hippie trail’.
Sobhraj, who was also known as ‘the serpent’ for his snake-like ability to avoid detection by the authorities, was originally jailed for his crimes in India between 1976 and 1997. Several years after his release, Sobhraj returned to Nepal where he was arrested and imprisoned again for his crime.
Despite receiving a life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years, the Supreme Court of Nepal ordered Sobhraj’s release on Thursday, citing his old age after he had spent 19 years in jail.
The Nepalese authorities deported Sobhraj to France via a commercial Qatar Airways flight. Photos of Sobhraj on the packed aeroplane showed other passengers looking visibly upset at being sat so close to the convicted murderer.
The number of actual victims that were killed by Sobhraj is still not known to this date.
Sobhraj was born in Saigon to an Indian father and Vietnamese mother.
A great match to be flown on Qatar.
Sounds like this Sobhraj guy is a real jerk!
What does a guy like that do for a living? Who pays his rent, gives him clothes and meals, pays for his health care, transportation and cell service? Should have stayed in jail!
I for one do not blame Qatar Airways for this incident at all. The other option would have been for the authorities to have sent him home on a private jet which would have been expensive and possibly impractical.