China hunts for serial killer

Beijing, Aug 13 (IANS) China has launched a manhunt for a serial killer who has murdered as many as nine people, a media report said.

The search is on in Chongqing following the man's latest killing during an armed robbery Friday which left a woman dead, the Global Times reported Monday.

The military too is helping to look for the 42-year-old, Zhou Kehua, who is believed to have killed nine people across Chongqing, Changsha and Nanjing.

The search was centered around Gele mountain where he is believed to be hiding.

Zhou shot the woman in front of a Bank of China branch Friday, before grabbing her handbag which contained about 250,000 yuan ($39,300) in cash. He escaped. The woman died on the spot.

The man then killed a railway police officer Saturday afternoon.