Bhadoi Kalindi and his wife had been married for eight years and wanted a child.
A man with the help of a tantrik (occultist) allegedly sacrificed a seven-month-old baby in Jharkhand's Seraikela Kharsawan district to appease God, so that he and his wife could have a child, police said today.
Bhadoi Kalindi and Karmu Kalindi, a tantrik, were arrested by the police yesterday from Chaida village under Tiruldih police station, said Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Chandil), Sandeep Bhagat. Mr Kalindi, a snake charmer and his wife were married for about eight years, the SDPO said, adding that he decided to sacrifice a child so that his wife could conceive.
On the night of May 26, the duo allegedly abducted the tantrik's neighbour Subhash Gope's daughter when she was asleep and sacrificed her at a cremation ghat near a river in Tiruldih, Mr Bhagat said.
The tantrik went missing after the incident, which made police suspicious of his involvement in the abduction of the child, Mr Bhagat said.
The police tracked him down and arrested him along with Mr Kalindi. During interrogation, both confessed to their crime, Mr Bhagat said.
Police have seized the weapon used to sacrifice the infant from the aspiring father's house, the SDPO said adding that a search has been launched to recover the body of the baby girl.