Two women in Kerala, reported missing by their families, were murdered and buried in a horrific case of black magic and human sacrifice revealed today by the police.
Roselin and Padma, who were from different parts of Ernakulam district, were killed by a couple who wanted to end their financial troubles and get rich, the police said. The couple and one more person, their agent, were arrested today.
Roselin and Padma, both in their early 50s, sold lottery tickets in Ernakulam. Roselin disappeared in June, said the police, and Padma in September.
Their throats were slit, and their bodies were chopped into pieces and buried in different locations in Thiruvalla, a town in Pathanamthitta district, the police said.
The alleged killers were Bhagavanth Singh, a massage therapist, and his wife Laila, said the police. They allegedly believed the murders would bring them a prosperous life.
The third man who was arrested, Rasheed or Muhammand Shafi, allegedly helped them in the crime and also persuaded them to go through with it. He is suspected to have kidnapped the two women from Ernakulam and brought them to the couple's home.
The police were investigating the disappearance of Padma when they discovered the killings. The women's phones were traced to Muhammad Shafi, who allegedly broke down and admitted to kidnapping them.
"During our investigation regarding the missing woman from Kadavanthara (Ernakulam), we came to know that she was killed in that couple's house in Thiruvalla and her body was buried after being cut into pieces there. It was a ritualistic human sacrifice for the financial benefit of that couple," Kochi City Police Commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam said.
When the couple was interrogated, they allegedly confessed to the "sacrifice" of another woman in the same house in June. That woman was Roselin, the police said.
"It was also at the same house, by the same couple, and the woman was brought by the same person. The third person had not only played an agent role (in both these cases) but was also instrumental in getting this done. He convinced the couple that this should be done," he said.
"There are many layers to this case. We have now understood that the human sacrifice was done for the financial benefits of the couple. Also, we came to know the middleman has been paid. We need more time to unearth the entire case and also we are probing on the involvement of more people in the murder " said the police chief.
The bodies of the two women are likely to be exhumed.
"The bodies are not in one shape...they have been cut into pieces and buried. Prima facie, it is a case of black magic and human sacrifice. Police will look into all aspects and details," said Inspector General P Prakash.
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