Mother, Occult Practitioner, and Man Arrested in Grisly Teen Sacrifice Case in Jharkhand Village
Police in Hazaribag have made a shocking arrest of three individuals, including the mother of the victim, in connection with the brutal strangulation of a teenage girl during a purported sacrificial ritual. The incident occurred in Kusumbha village, with officials confirming the arrests during a late-night press briefing on Wednesday.
Details of the Arrests and the Alleged Crime
The arrested suspects have been identified as Reshmi Devi, the 35-year-old mother of the deceased girl; Shanti Devi, a 55-year-old occult practitioner; and Bhim Ram, a 40-year-old man. All are residents of the same village. According to Hazaribag SP Anjani Anjan and DIG Anjani Jha, the investigation revealed a disturbing sequence of events.
Anjan stated that Reshmi Devi frequently consulted Shanti Devi, a local 'tantrik' or occultist, for the treatment of her youngest son, who suffers from physical and mental ailments. "The occult practitioner told the mother that they needed to sacrifice a virgin girl to cure the son of all ailments," she explained.
On the night of March 24, during Ashtami celebrations when the village was engaged in Mangla Julus (Ram Navami procession) festivities, the girl was allegedly strangled at Shanti Devi's house. Police claim that Reshmi Devi and Bhim Ram carried out the act. In a horrifying twist, the tantrik inserted a wooden stick into the girl's private parts, while Bhim Ram struck her head to collect blood for the ritual. Subsequently, the trio buried her body in a garden.
Attempts to Mislead and Additional Allegations
The suspects attempted to mislead investigators by falsely claiming that the girl had been raped. However, this was not corroborated by postmortem or forensic reports. Anjan further disclosed that Bhim Ram faces additional allegations in the murders of his sister-in-law and another person, adding a layer of criminal history to the case.
Earlier, Reshmi Devi had reported her daughter as abducted, but the body was discovered on March 25 in a village field, prompting a deeper probe.
Legal and Political Repercussions
The Jharkhand High Court has taken suo motu notice of the alleged rape and murder on Monday, issuing notices to the state administration and the police chief. A division bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Sanjay Prasad acted after reviewing media reports, highlighting the gravity of the incident.
In protest against the killing, the Opposition BJP staged a 12-hour bandh in Hazaribag on Monday, reflecting public outrage and political tensions surrounding the case.
This tragic event underscores ongoing concerns about occult practices and violence in rural areas, with authorities continuing their investigation to ensure justice is served.
