India's Youngest Serial Killer Murdered 3 Children At 8. He's 24 Now And Missing

Last Updated:May 30, 2025, 16:30 IST

Sumit, born in 1998 in Bihar's Begusarai, was dubbed the youngest serial killer after murdering three children by age 8. After his confession, he was sent to a juvenile home

Diagnosed with conduct disorder, the 8-year-old was sent to juvenile home until 18. (Representational Image)

In a disturbing turn of events from Bihar’s Begusarai district that occured nearly 20 years ago, a seemingly innocent boy named Sumit was dubbed by some as the youngest serial killer the country has ever seen. Born into crushing poverty in 1998, Sumit entered the dark world of crime at a very young age.

His parents, both daily wage labourers, could scarcely manage two meals a day. With their time consumed by survival, child-rearing responsibilities often fell on Sumit. When he was 7, his parents gave birth a baby girl. His days were spent idly – climbing trees, wandering the village, mingling with other children.

Sumit’s story first surfaced in 2007, when he was just 8 years old, after a third murder in a small village near Begusarai set off alarms that could no longer be ignored. It was only then, under police scrutiny, that the unthinkable began to unravel – that the suspect was not a grown man or an embittered youth, but an eight-year-old boy.

The First Murder

The first signs came a year earlier. One afternoon, Sumit was home with his infant sister and his young cousin and his mother had gone to the market. According to later revelations, Sumit routinely enjoyed tormenting the younger children. But that day, his actions turned lethal.

Consumed by rage, he strangled his cousin. Then, calmly, he dragged the lifeless body outside and concealed it under grass. When his mother returned and the child was found missing, she questioned Sumit – who, in a chillingly matter-of-fact tone, admitted what he had done.

His father responded with a beating, but what followed was perhaps even more shocking. The family, ashamed and terrified, never went to the police and continued to remain silent about the incident. They crafted a false story to console the boy’s grieving aunt and buried the truth with the body.

The Second Murder

A few months later, Sumit’s infant sister was found dead. Again, the cause was strangulation. Again, the family said nothing. It was an uncle who later admitted they had suspected Sumit all along. But bound by fear and denial, they treated it as a “family matter." No authorities were informed. Two children dead. No justice. No accountability.

The Third Murder Broke The Silence

It took the death of a six-month-old infant from the neighborhood for the truth to finally come to light. In 2007, the baby vanished near a local school. Her mother reported her missing, and the village launched a frantic search.

It didn’t take long for suspicion to turn to Sumit. When questioned by police, he startled everyone with his composure. First, he asked for biscuits. Then, without hesitation, he confessed. Not only did he admit to killing the child, he detailed how he had crushed her body with a brick and buried it under the soil.

He then led the police and villagers to the exact spot.

The Mind Behind The Murders

The confession unlocked the horror of the previous two killings. Sumit, police learned, had murdered his cousin a year earlier, and his sister just months before his third murder.

Psychologists later diagnosed him with conduct disorder, a serious mental condition marked by a disturbing pattern of aggressive, antisocial behaviour. Some even labelled him a budding psychopath, noting that he derived pleasure from inflicting pain.

However, abiding by the law on minors, Sumit was sent to a juvenile correction home, where he remained until the age of 18.

Where Is He Now?

Today, Sumit would be 24 years old. But beyond that, the trail goes cold. There is no public record of his release, rehabilitation, or current whereabouts. No information about whether his condition has improved, or if he remains a danger to others.

Location :

Bihar, India, India

First Published:

News india India's Youngest Serial Killer Murdered 3 Children At 8. He's 24 Now And Missing