Chandrakant Jha

{{Short description|Indian serial killer}}

{{Use Indian English|date=March 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox criminal

| name = Chandrakant Jha

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1967}}

| birth_place = Ghosai, Madhepura, Bihar, India

| other names = The Butcher of Delhi

| known_for = Murder and track dismemberment of former associates

| criminal_charge =

| criminal_penalty = 2 death sentences; commuted to life imprisonment

| conviction = Murder (3 counts)

| victims = Pandit, aka Mangal (1998)

Shekhar (2003)

Umesh (2003)

Guddu (2005)

Anil Mandal (2006)

Upender (2007)

Dilip (2007) {{Cite news|url=https://www.netflix.com/in/title/81252894?preventIntent=true|title=Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi|date=20 July 2022|work=Netflix India}}

| country = India

| states = Delhi

| targets = Young male migrants

| apprehended = 1998, 2003, May 2007

| imprisoned =

}}

Chandrakant Jha (born 1967) is an Indian serial killer who befriended, then killed and dismembered 18 victims in West Delhi between 1998 and 2007. His first killing took place in 1998 for which he was arrested and held in jail until 2002, when he was released due to lack of evidence.{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/north/story/serial-killer-chandrakant-jha-jobless-youths-rohini-court-death-penalty-154337-2013-02-19|title=Serial killer Chandrakant Jha ate dinner in the same room where his victims lay dead|last=Shakil|first=Shana|date=13 February 2013|work=India Today}} Following his release, he embarked upon a spate of killings. First Shekar and Umesh in 2003, then Guddu in 2005, then Amit in 2006 and finally Upender and Dalip in 2007. He would befriend migrant labourers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and help them get small jobs. Later, petty disputes over things like theft, lying or being non-vegetarian would lead him to murder them by strangulation.{{Cite news|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/living-with-a-serial-killer/1082224/|title=Living with a Serial Killer|last=Chatterjee|first=Pritha|date=3 March 2013|work=The Indian Express}} Chandrakant took pleasure in taunting the police by leaving dismembered body parts around the city and outside the Tihar Jail with notes, daring the police to catch him.{{Cite web |title=Butcher of Delhi: The chilling story of an Indian serial killer in Netflix's new true-crime series |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/butcher-delhi-chilling-story-indian-103419088.html |access-date=30 August 2022 |website=finance.yahoo.com|date=26 July 2022 }}

He was found guilty on three counts of murder and received two death sentences and life imprisonment until death in February 2013.{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/north/story/rohini-court-death-sentence-to-serial-killer-chandrakant-jha-153306-2013-02-05|title=Rohini Court awards death sentence to serial killer Chandrakant Jha|date=5 February 2013|work=India Today}} His death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment without remission in January 2016.{{Cite news|url=http://www.livelaw.in/delhi-hc-commutes-death-sentence-of-serial-killer-chandrakant-jha-to-life-term-without-remission/|title=Delhi HC commutes death sentence of serial killer Chandrakant Jha to life term without remission|last=KM|first=Ashok|date=28 January 2016|work=Live Law}} In January 2022, his request for parole was denied.{{Cite web |last=Mehrotra |first=Kriti |date=20 July 2022 |title=Where is Serial Killer Chandrakant Jha Now? |url=https://thecinemaholic.com/where-is-serial-killer-chandrakant-jha-now/ |access-date=30 August 2022 |website=The Cinemaholic |language=en-US}}

Chandrakant worked as a hawker in Delhi's weekly bazaars.{{Cite web |title=Living with a Serial Killer - Indian Express |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/living-with-a-serial-killer/1082224/ |access-date=30 August 2022 |website=archive.indianexpress.com}} He married twice, abandoning his first wife within a year. He has five daughters with his second wife.{{Cite web |last=Loop |first=Veronica |title=Chandrakant Jha, "The Butcher of Delhi" - Martin Cid Magazine |date=19 July 2022 |url=https://martincid.com/en/2022/07/19/chandrakant-jha-the-butcher-of-delhi/ |access-date=30 August 2022 |language=en-US}} He mostly lived away from his family.

In August 2023, The High Court granted a 90-day parole to him. Jha had sought parole, saying he has to finalise a "suitable groom" for his eldest daughter.{{Cite news |title=Court grants 90-day parole to serial killer Chandrakhant Jha - The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/court-grants-90-day-parole-to-serial-killer-chandrakhant-jha/article67205694.ece |access-date=18 August 2023 |newspaper=The Hindu|date=17 August 2023 }}