Devender Kumar Sharma, popularly known as “Doctor Death,” is an Indian criminal and former Ayurvedic practitioner who has been linked to more than 50 killings. He was convicted in multiple murder cases and was also associated with an illegal kidney-transplant racket.
From Ayurvedic Practitioner to Criminal
Devender Sharma was a qualified BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) practitioner. He initially ran a clinic in Rajasthan and worked as a medical practitioner.
His financial troubles reportedly played a role in his entry into crime. After losing money in a failed gas-agency business, he became involved in an illegal organ-transplant network and eventually expanded into other criminal activities.
Connection With Illegal Kidney Transplants
During the 1990s and early 2000s, Sharma reportedly became involved in an illegal kidney-transplant racket operating across several parts of northern India.
Investigators alleged that he worked with intermediaries and medical professionals to arrange illegal kidney transplants. Sharma reportedly claimed that he had helped facilitate more than 100 illegal kidney transplants.
The Murders of Taxi and Truck Drivers
Sharma later became associated with a series of murders involving taxi and truck drivers.
According to investigators, victims were sometimes lured by offers of transportation work or fake trips. They were allegedly killed after being taken to isolated locations, after which their vehicles were disposed of or sold.
Police also alleged that some bodies were thrown into crocodile-infested waters in Uttar Pradesh, making it extremely difficult to recover remains.
Sharma reportedly claimed during interrogation that he had been involved in more than 50 killings. However, the exact number of victims remains uncertain, and the number of murders he was actually convicted of is much lower than the total figure attributed to him.
Multiple Criminal Cases
Sharma faced criminal cases in several states, including Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan. The charges included murder, kidnapping, robbery and other offences.
He was convicted in several murder cases and received multiple life sentences. In one case, he was also sentenced to death, although the legal proceedings surrounding his various convictions have been separate.
Escaping During Parole
Sharma has also made headlines for disappearing after being released on parole.
In 2020, he was released on parole but did not return when required and was later arrested.
He again disappeared after being granted parole in 2023, remaining untraceable for an extended period.
Arrest After Living as a Priest
In 2025, Delhi Police reportedly traced Sharma to an ashram in Dausa, Rajasthan. He had allegedly been living there while presenting himself as a religious figure.
His arrest brought renewed attention to his decades-old criminal history and the numerous cases associated with him.
Why Is He Called “Doctor Death”?
The nickname “Doctor Death” refers to Sharma’s background as an Ayurvedic practitioner and his alleged involvement in multiple murders.
His case became particularly notorious because of the combination of illegal organ trafficking, murders of drivers, vehicle theft and the alleged disposal of bodies in crocodile-infested waters.
In Brief
Devender Kumar Sharma, known as “Doctor Death,” was once an Ayurvedic practitioner but later became involved in organized criminal activities. He was linked to an illegal kidney-transplant network and accused of involvement in more than 50 killings. Although the precise number of victims remains disputed, he has been convicted in multiple murder cases and remains one of India’s most notorious criminal figures.
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