Mangaluru : An Additional District and Sessions Court on Wednesday convicted Mohan Kumar K., 54-year-old former teacher, for sexually assaulting a 22-year-old beedi worker and murdering her by administering cyanide.

Mohan, who is known as ‘Cyanide’ Mohan, is allegedly involved in 20 cases of rape and murder between 2004 and 2009. Another Additional District and Sessions Court sentenced him to death in three cases in 2013, which is yet to be confirmed by the High Court of Karnataka.

The conviction by the VI Additional Sessions Judge D.T. Puttarangaswamy on Wednesday concerned the death of a 22-year-old beedi worker in a public toilet at the Madikeri bus stand on September 17, 2009.

According to the chargesheet, Mohan brought the girl, from Pattemajalu village near Puttur, to a lodge in Madikeri on the pretext of a job interview.

After sexually assaulting the girl, Mohan gave the girl cyanide telling her that it was a pill to prevent pregnancy. The girl consumed it while vacating the lodge in the evening and she died in the public toilet. Prosecutor Judith O.M. Crasta examined 44 witnesses including a Magistrate from Bantwal who had recorded voluntary statement of the person who had supplied cyanide to Mohan.

A girl, who survived Mohan’s murder bid, deposed about his modus operandi.

She has been the prime witness in all the murder cases. The victim’s relatives were examined regarding victim’s ornaments that Mohan had taken away.

Mr. Puutarangaswamy convicted Mohan Kumar for offences under Sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), 392 (robbery) and 328 (administering poison) of the Indian Penal Code.

After hearing the Prosecutor and Mohan, who is defending himself, the Judge posted the case to Friday for pronouncement of quantum of punishment.