Isabella Mueller (crime writer)
In the dark depths of India’s criminal history, the name KD Kempamma, also known as Cyanide Mallika, stands out as one of the most notorious female serial killers. As India’s first convicted female serial killer, she began her murderous journey in 1999 and left a trail of death in her wake until her arrest in 2007. Her methods were as sophisticated as they were cruel, and she exploited her victims’ beliefs and desperation to carry out her sinister plans. KD Kempamma grew up in the tranquil village of Kaggalipura in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Her life story is marked by instability and personal suffering. After her husband left her and she was socially marginalized following a one-year prison sentence for theft, Kempamma tried to keep her head above water with a chit fund business, but failed miserably. In her desperation, she turned to various odd jobs, including working as a housemaid and assistant to a goldsmith. Her first steps into the criminal world soon took her far beyond ordinary crimes. On October 19, 1999, Kempamma committed her first murder, killing 30-year-old Mamatha Rajan. She chose her victims carefully, mostly targeting women at temples who were in difficult life situations. Kempamma, who presented herself as a pious woman, gained their trust by listening to them and offering spiritual help. For her perfidious rituals, she asked the women to wear their best clothes and most expensive jewelry. What the victims did not suspect was that the holy water or food that Kempamma gave them was poisoned with cyanide. She obtained the deadly substance from goldsmith workshops, where it was used to clean jewelry and where Kempamma worked as an unskilled laborer. Under the pretext of a ritual, she forced her victims to consume the poisonous substance, often holding their noses to carry out the process. Between October and December 2007, Kempamma’s series of murders escalated dramatically. In just three months, she killed five women: Elizabeth, Yashodhamma, Muniyamma, Pillama, and Nagaveni. Each of these women trusted Kempamma, hoping that their problems could be solved through the supposedly religious rituals. But Kempamma’s true intention was to rob and murder them. Particularly tragic is the fate of 30-year-old Nagaveni, who desperately wanted a son. As with her other victims, Kempamma exploited this longing and promised her a successful ritual. But instead of fulfillment, Nagaveni found only death by lethal poison. Kempamma’s criminal career finally came to an end on December 31, 2008, when she attempted to sell her victims’ jewelry. An observant police officer recognized her and arrested her. Both money and valuables belonging to the victims were found in her bag. During her interrogation, Kempamma confessed to her crimes and revealed the gruesome details of her murders. In the following years, she was found guilty in several trials and ultimately received the death penalty in two cases. She was the first woman in Karnataka to receive this sentence. In 2012, however, her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment because the court ruled that the evidence was largely circumstantial. The legacy of KD Kempamma continues to cast a long shadow. In 2017, she was once again thrust into the media spotlight when it was revealed that she was being held in the same prison cell as V. K. Sasikala, a prominent politician. According to reports, Kempamma had attempted to meet Sasikala on several occasions and had even brought her food, leading to speculation about possible threats. But the true legacy of Cyanide Mallika lies in the painful memories of the women whose trust she abused and whose lives she cruelly ended. Kempamma’s ability to exploit her victims’ deepest fears and desires reveals the terrifying depths of human cruelty and the dark side of trust. This story serves as a reminder of how easily faith and trust can fall into the wrong hands. It also reveals the challenges society faces when it comes to protecting those who seek help in times of need and despair. Kempamma may now be behind bars, but the scars she has left behind will linger long in the hearts and minds of the victims’ loved ones. India will long remember the atrocities of Cyanide Mallika, and her story will live on as a dark chapter in the annals of the country’s criminal history. Her murders are a cruel reminder that the search for spiritual solace can sometimes end up in the hands of false saints. The story of KD Kempamma is a tragic tale of trust, betrayal, and the deepest depths of human behavior. It shows how innocent trust and the desire for spiritual healing can be exploited and turned into deadly traps. This crime is a powerful lesson in the importance of being vigilant and always questioning who you place your trust in.
