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Kerala human sacrifice case: Two women were allegedly sacrificed as part of black magic to bring prosperity to a village in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala and three people, including a couple, suspected to be involved in the crime, were taken into custody.

 

Here's all you need to know about the case that has jolted the entire nation 

 

The case so far

The two women, who had earned their daily bread selling lottery tickets on the streets Pathanamthitta district of Kerala were allegedly sacrificed by the accused to settle their financial issues and bring prosperity. The flesh of the victims was eaten after the ‘human sacrifice’ act as part of black magic.

 

Victims

 

The victims, said to be in their 50s, were natives of Kadavanthara and Kalady. They had gone missing in September and June this year and the eventual probe led to the story of human sacrifice. The body parts of the victims were cut into pieces before being buried in two locations at Elanthoor village in Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta.

 

Accused 

 

Rasheed alias Muhammand Shafi, a Perumbavoor native 

Muhammand Shafi had 10 cases registered against him in Kerala over the last 15 years, including rape, trespassing, threft and drunken driving. He was out on bail and was shown as 'absconding' in other cases. In 2020, he was arrested for allegedly raping a 75-year-old woman. Shafi is married and has two daughters. 

Muhammand Shafi is suspected to have lured and brought the now-deceased women to the house of the couple where the sacrifice was said to have been done. Meanwhile, the three accused in the ‘human sacrifice’ case were produced before a Kochi court on Wednesday and the police sought 10-day custody of all of them for questioning.

 

Bhagaval Singh, a local massage therapist

 

Laila, wife of Bhagaval Singh, both natives of Thiruvalla

 

The three accused were remanded to judicial custody till October 26 by the Ernakulam District Sessions court. 

 

Gruesome 'sacrifice'

 

The accused couple was told by the prime accused, Shafi, that eating cooked human body parts would help them preserve youth. Laila testified has testified that the flesh of the victims was eaten as part of black magic.

 

Questions on Police investigation 

 

A lot of questions are being raised on the role of police officers in the case. People said a life would have been saved had there been a serious investigation by the police into the first missing complaint itself.

Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan said, "A detailed investigation needs to be conducted to find out whether more murders have taken place in the state on account of witchcraft." Steps are being taken to exhume the bodies of the women at the locations where their alleged body parts were buried as per the confession of the accused.

 

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