Kumbh Mela in Allahabad Image Credit: Gulf News archives

What you need to know: The man accused had murdered 10 people previously.

He was caught on CCTV cameras.

Kumbh Mela is the largest human religious gathering in the world.

Dubai: On Friday, police officials at the Kumbh Mela, a religious pilgrimage site in India, arrested a serial killer who was roaming around the area with a blood-stained axe.

The Kumbh Mela or religious fair is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which the largest number of Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river. Held every 12 years, millions of devotes attend the event.

According to a report by Indian newspaper Hindustan Times, the 38-year-old man was arrested in Allahabad, now known as Prayagraj, for killing 10 people in the last six months. He confessed to his crimes.

He was caught on CCTV camera attacking someone at the fair, and then caught by officials. Police were on the look-out for the accused, and once arrested, they found a bloodied axe in his possession.

Three people who were attacked by the man previously are still fighting for their lives in hospital. He was accused of attempting to kill “two seers” (fortune predictors) at the mela.

The culprit goes by the name of Kaluwa Patel also known as Sai Baba alias Subhas and is a resident of Basehara village under Lalapur police station of Allahabad district.

Previously, Patel had murdered two labourers while they were sleeping in the summer of 2018.

According to the report, the motive behind the murders are not clear but is being investigated. According to a report by Indian newspaper Times of India, “Kalua reportedly told police that he used to kill people who taunted him over his dishevelled looks and condition.”

Other online reports state that Patel seemed unstable.