HYDERABAD: An alleged serial killer , who was released from jail on remission for good behaviour, is believed to have committed at least four more murders after he came out of prison in 2018. All his victims are women who were killed allegedly for their valuables.Yerukali Srinu, who was arrested by the Mahbubnagar police on Friday, had been named as an accused in at least 13 other cases of murder. He was however acquitted by a trial court in 11 cases in which the police have filed appeals.Police allege that Srinu murdered at least five women in 2007, when he started his alleged killing spree. He was arrested and given a life sentence by a local court in 2009. He was however released early in 2013 for good behaviour. Police confirmed to TOI that Srinu had escaped from the Mahbubnagar jail in 2007. However, he was caught after a few days and was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment.Police claim that he started his second round of killings in 2014 and murdered as many as eight women till 2015 when he was again convicted in another murder case. This time, he was sentenced to three years in jail, leading to his release in 2018.According to police, Srinu has now been named in at least 17 murders. If convicted, he would be one of the deadliest serial killers in the country. Among his victims was his brother’s mother-in-law with whom he is believed to have had an illicit relationship.Mahbubnagar SP Rema Rajeshwari said Srinu was arrested on Friday for the murder of a 53-year-old woman C Aliveamma, a labourer. His wife Salamma too was arrested after stolen jewellery was recovered from her.During investigation, Srinu confessed to three more murders, all committed in the past year. One of the cases came to light only last week after a skeleton was recovered from a heap of sand kept for government auction at Abdullapurmet. Srinu confessed that the remains were of a woman he had killed earlier this year.It was on December 17 that a body of an unknown woman was found in Devarkadra village in Mahbubnagar. Police suspected Srinu’s involvement given that the modus operandi was similar. The victim had been throttled, her head had been smashed and jewellery was missing.After Srinu was picked up, he confessed to the murders at Devarkadra, Boothpur, Abdullapurmet, Kothakota and Midjil villages. “Giving details of the Devarkadra murder, the accused said that he went to a toddy compound on December 16 and befriended the victim,” Rajeshwari said.He then made the victim ride pillion on his bike and headed towards Devarkadra. On the way, they drank more liquor and finally when the victim was drunk, Srinu smashed her head on the ground, throttled her and stole her gold and silver jewellery. He is believed to have given the jewellery to his wife so that she could sell it.Officials added that the modus operandi was similar in all previous cases, including those in which he was convicted and the 11 acquittals.