Making of a Serial Killer: Who was Gowri Shankar aka ‘AUTO SHANKAR’?

They say a name shapes one's destiny. In this story, a child was born in 1955 in Kangeyanallur, Vellore, and received the name 'Gowri Shankar' after Lord Shiva, the God of Destruction. Was it an accident that his father picked this name, or did it foreshadow a future in which Shankar's inability to control his fiery temperament would bring destruction not only to others but also to himself?

From a tender age, Shankar developed an insatiable appetite for the silver screen as he would surreptitiously pilfer coins from his mother's hidden steel box, fueling his passion for cinematic marvels. Mesmerised, he would sit in rapt attention before the flickering images, immersing himself in the lives of heroes who danced, wept, fought, and loved with a vigour that defied the boundaries of reality. And so, like a young thespian, he would reenact the scenes with his friends. Yet, in those formative years, his family could never have fathomed that the distance between their modest dwelling and their son's impending downfall would span a mere 140 kilometres—an odyssey to Madras, where dreams intertwined with the harsh realities of Tamil Cinema.

In those bygone days, a string of small fishing villages, nestled along the coastline from Thiruvanmiyur to Mahabalipuram, basked in the abundance of coconut groves and palm plantations. A fertile breeding ground for the illicit distillation of arrack, these idyllic locales served as the perfect canvas for those who sought to ply their forbidden trade. The sap of palm trees, the lifeblood of this potent spirit, flowed freely in these lands.

The implementation of prohibition in Tamil Nadu during the 1970s and 1980s transformed the landscape, turning arrack into a coveted and illicit commodity. In the villages, where roads were scarce, law enforcement was limited, and a flourishing demand for the local brew gave birth to a thriving black market. It became the undisputed cash cow of contraband.

Shankar embarked on a path of smuggling the local brew from the coastal hamlets to the bustling heart of Madras in his three-wheeler auto. Overnight, his fortunes transformed. The struggling and impoverished Shankar suddenly found himself flush with money, a newfound prosperity that would usher him into the next phase of his life—an existence adorned with fine clothing, overflowing cash, and marriage.

But as prohibition eventually ended, the demand for arrack diminished. Yet, Shankar, the consummate entrepreneur, had already devised his next business venture.

In the depths of the night, as an auto driver, Shankar navigated the labyrinthine streets, his passengers consisting of captivating women and their pimps. He served as their conduit, transporting them to various destinations—private residences, hotels, and modest shacks that concealed secrets. In this realm of shadows, a spark ignited within Shankar, a spark that would ignite a dangerous flame. It was a convergence of two compelling forces: desire and a hunger for wealth.

Conventional wisdom advises against mingling business with pleasure, but Shankar was a renegade, a maverick who knew no other way of life. He merged the two seamlessly, embracing a life where pleasure and profit intertwined. With the aid of Mohan, his brother-in-law Eldin, and a group of loyal associates, including Shivaji, Jayavelu, Rajaraman, Ravi, Palani, and Paramasivam, his name reverberated with power and influence.

He took the first steps toward solidifying his empire by renting out a series of huts nestled within the slums of Periyar Nagar in Madras and started his whorehouses. As time unfolded, the seed he had sown blossomed into a thriving business. His roster of talented women grew to a stellar ensemble that included Banu, Kundu, Vijaya, Asthina, Begum, and Viji. Shankar's clout expanded as he ascended the ranks, supplying girls to political leaders and high-ranking police officials. And the girls that he liked – he married them and kept them for himself!

Shankar's existence was fueled by two sinister forces—rage and sex. When combined, they formed a toxic elixir that propelled him down a treacherous path towards damnation. Within the recesses of his depraved mind, his carnal desires always intertwined with violence, leaving a trail of darkness in their wake.

Vijaya was his third wife and was fully aware of the other women in his harem. But she soon realised that Shankar had a dark and violent side to him. As they consummated their relationship, Shankar sank his teeth into her delicate neck, leaving an excruciating pain. Even though she screamed, Shankar continued to press his burning cigarette on her back. Each agonising contact between the cigarette and her flesh fueled Shankar's twisted pleasure, his eyes gleaming with debauched satisfaction. This went on for a few weeks, till she couldn't take it anymore and vanished forever, never to be seen or heard from again.

On 14 March 1987, Shankar married his fourth wife, Madhu. Then came Lalita.

Lalita too tried to escape like Vijaya. She seduced an assistant of Shankar called Sudalai. When she escaped, Shankar became mad. Not because he had lost a wife but because she had chosen his minion over him. He searched high and low for both of them, and Sudalai was soon behind bars.

Shankar asked Lalita, ‘‘Why did you run away with that fool?’’

Driven by an intense emotional fire, Shankar erupted when she confessed, "I ran away because I love Sudalai!" Mohan seized her hair while Eldin restrained her hands. Shankar lunged at her, choking the life out of her until her vacant gaze met his. The lifeless body crumpled as adrenaline coursed through their veins.

Amidst his alcohol-fueled haze, Shankar inquired, "What do we do with the body?" Mohan suggested they bury her near his liquor shop to ensure she remained hidden. Shankar agreed, ripping off Lalita's gold jewellery before they carried the lifeless body to their destination. At Kuttumadu, where Mohan's arrack joint had evolved into a substantial liquor warehouse, they buried her, along with her clothes. While Shankar moved on, Sudalai thirsted for revenge. Opening his brothel, he poached Shankar's clients. Filled with fury upon learning this, Shankar, accompanied by his gang member Babu, scoured the city for Sudalai and found him outside the Taj Hotel.

"Bring him to my house. I will end him!" Shankar commanded his bloodshot eyes and trembling hands, revealing his uncontrollable rage.

Babu discovered Sudalai, who tried to run away. Babu apprehended him and suggested they visit Mohan's liquor shop. Joined by Eldin and Shivaji, they discussed if Shankar was angry with Sudalai or not. Why will he be angry with you, said Babu to dispel Sudalai's concerns.

“What about Lalita? What have you done with her?” Sudalai asked.

“She ran away from Shankar as well,” Babu lied.

Sudalai accepted their fabricated tale, relieved that Shankar harboured no anger. Upon arriving at Shankar's house, Sudalai was warmly embraced, and the men celebrated, reminiscing about their past while Sudalai's fears faded away.

But after a few pegs, Shankar unleashed his fury, accusing Sudalai of not only stealing his girl but also attempting to steal his business. With a forceful grip, Shankar pinned Sudalai to the ground, his knee pressed against his chest. Eldin secured his feet, while Shivaji restrained his hands. Babu tightened a towel around Sudalai's neck, depriving him of air. Gasping for breath, Sudalai endured a series of brutal kicks to his vulnerable areas. Amidst the pain, Shankar taunted Sudalai, emphasising that this was his punishment for taking Lalita away and questioning his notion of manhood. Soon, Sudalai was dead.

Once Sudalai ceased to struggle, the decision was made to burn his body.

Eldin and Mohan went off on their moped to get petrol. Meanwhile, Shankar, Shivaji, and Babu transported Sudalai to the ground floor. Shankar removed Sudalai's gold chain and ring before dousing his body with six litres of petrol. With a lit cigarette in hand, Shankar savoured a deep inhale, exhaling a sense of satisfaction. Slowly, he flicked the lit matchstick onto Sudalai's lifeless form, mimicking the actions of his screen idols. Sudalai's body erupted in flames. The gang sealed all doors and windows before stepping outside, awaiting the outcome. Around 2:30 am, the remaining unburnt portion of Sudalai's body was wrapped in a bed sheet and transported to the Muttukadu Boat Yard, where it was dumped into the backwaters.

Two days later, Ravi, who had switched sides from Shankar to Sudalai, visited Shankar and Mohan, asking them about the whereabouts of Sudalai.

Seizing an opportunity, Shankar tempted Ravi with the offer of a drink. Knowing that a man devoid of moral principles could hardly resist the allure of free liquor, women, and money, Shankar handed Ravi a hundred-rupee note, requesting him to fetch some whisky. In his absence, the conspiratorial plan took shape.

Upon Ravi's return, the group, consisting of Eldin, Mohan, Shankar, and Ravi, started drinking. Under the influence, Ravi began accusing Shankar of the murders of Lalita and Sudalai.

With a menacing tone, Ravi threatened Shankar, "Do you have any idea what awaits you if I inform the inspector of Thiruvanmiyur?" Shankar and his companions observed Ravi silently, waiting for the situation to unfold. In a moment of unchecked greed, Ravi went a step too far.

Unaware that he was blackmailing the wrong person, Ravi proposed, "If you purchase an auto rickshaw for me, I promise to keep my mouth shut when it comes to the police." Instantly, Eldin, Mohan, and Shankar seized the opportunity. Utilising the same towel used to end Sudalai's life, they silenced Ravi by strangling him. They buried his lifeless body in a pit near Mohan's liquor shop. Eldin, filled with apprehension, inquired, "What if someone else comes searching for Ravi? We cannot keep resorting to killing, can we?" Uncertain of Shankar's response, a hint of nervousness tainted Eldin's voice. Mohan, however, smiled and said, "I have an idea!"

When Ravi's concerned mother approached Shankar, seeking information about her son, he informed her that he had departed for Bombay. Astonishingly, two days later, she received an inland letter from Ravi, reassuring her not to worry as he was supposedly in Bombay, actively searching for employment. The letter proved to be Mohan's ingenious move.

Subsequently, Shankar embarked on a killing spree that set him apart from other serial killers. His motives differed significantly. Rather than killing for pleasure or due to mental instability, his actions held purposeful narratives. He possessed knowledge of his victims, and in his mind, their deaths were justified.

On May 29, 1988, Anita, who was one of Shankar’s girls, was assaulted and targeted for abduction by three men: Sampath, Mohan, and Govindaraj.

Eldin saved Anita from being abducted. But the trio mercilessly beat him. When Shankar learned of the incident, he swiftly gathered his men, loaded them into his car, and apprehended the three attackers. Shankar and his men subjected the culprits to a brutal beating before bringing them back to his residence.

In front of an inquisitive crowd that had assembled at his house, Shankar stood, his shirt soaked in the blood of the three assailants. "Observe this. If any of you dare betray me to the police, I will have no qualms sending you to meet your maker." Fearing Shankar's wrath, the crowd dispersed without hesitation.

The trio was imprisoned and subjected to further abuse. Two of them perished during the relentless beating, while Govindaraj met his end through strangulation. Their lifeless bodies found their resting place in the basement of an unfinished building. Shankar's anger had now claimed six victims.

Amidst these events, news circulated regarding the disappearance of nine girls from the vicinity. Speculations arose that Shankar and his men were behind these abductions, ensuring the girls vanished without a trace.

Meanwhile, the families of the missing girls lodged complaints with Governor P.C. Alexander.

In the meantime, Shankar remained oblivious to the events unfolding without his knowledge. Thus, when he opened his door one morning, he was taken aback by the presence of a group of policemen standing at his Periyar Nagar residence.

During the search of his house, it was uncovered that Shankar had a connection with the police. He had maintained a diary where he meticulously documented his marriages and even included photographs of himself posing with policemen of different ranks. This discovery caused a significant commotion and led to the immediate suspension of two policemen, while a third was initially put on extended leave and later dismissed. As news of Shankar's arrest reached his gang members, they promptly fled and went into hiding.

In court, Shankar attempted to justify his actions by placing the blame on movies for influencing him. Feeling cornered, he conducted a series of interviews with Tamil journalists, claiming that he had kidnapped girls to cater to the demands of politicians. After they were used, Shankar alleged that he was forced to kill the girls and dispose of their bodies as instructed by politicians. Nobody believed in him.

But the biggest shocking revelation was that Shankar and his accomplices had committed six murders that had gone completely unnoticed by the authorities. This was a lottery to get Shankar and his accomplices convicted.

Shankar could not believe that the glamorous life he had created for himself was gone. The Press gave him the name ‘Auto Shankar’ as it was his modus operandi to pick up girls in his auto and abduct them and also transport the bodies of his victims.

Despite being confined within the prison walls, Shankar and his companions found ways to maintain their preferred lifestyle. Shankar, in particular, had no trouble acquiring whatever he desired within his cell. Whisky, chicken, and cigarettes were readily available, ensuring that the party atmosphere persisted.

All hell broke loose after the trio escaped from the prison on 21 August 1990. They were the first prisoners to escape from this jail! This was Auto Shankar’s last-ditch attempt to escape from the law. But the police caught them in their hideout in Odisha. And they were brought back to Madras.

On 27 April 1995, the saga of Gowri ‘Auto’ Shankar finally came to an end. Shankar, Eldin and Shivaji were hanged to death.

Auto Shankar has now gone down in the pages of Indian criminals as one of the deadliest serial killers. For someone who dreamt of becoming a Tamil movie star and rich and famous, this was not a hero’s death.

Read the detailed story of Auto Shankar in The Deadly Dozen: India’s Most Notorious Serial Killers (Penguin India) by Anirban Bhattacharyya.

Anirban Bhattacharyya is the bestselling true crime author of India’s Money Heist: The Chelembra Bank Robbery. He is also a columnist for Mathrubhumi and the Creator-Producer of the hit TV show Savdhaan India.