RANCHI: A 13-year-old girl was allegedly strangled as part of a ritual sacrifice in Kusumbha village of Hazaribagh district, with police arresting her mother, an occult practitioner and a man in connection with the crime.
Addressing a press conference late on Wednesday night, Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan and DIG Anjani Jha said the victim’s mother, Reshmi Devi (35), 55-year-old Shanti Devi, identified as a ‘tantrik’, and 40-year-old Bhim Ram were taken into custody. Police said Reshmi Devi’s husband is a migrant labourer working in Mumbai.
According to investigators, the crime took place on the night of March 24 during Ram Navami celebrations, when a Mangala Shobhayatra was being held in the village. The girl had gone to watch the procession with her mother but did not return home. Her body was recovered the next day from bushes near the village.
The accused initially attempted to mislead investigators by claiming that the girl had been raped and murdered. However, post-mortem and forensic examinations ruled out sexual assault, shifting the direction of the probe.
Police said Reshmi Devi had been consulting the occult practitioner for several years regarding her son’s physical and mental ailments and other domestic issues. During these interactions, the ‘tantrik’ allegedly convinced her that a human sacrifice, specifically that of a virgin girl, was necessary for a cure. Investigators said the accused also believed that a divine presence resided in the child, making her sacrifice more “effective”.
Explaining the sequence of events, police said the girl was taken to Shanti Devi’s house, where rituals and prayers were conducted. After being fed prasad, she was taken to nearby bushes and laid on the ground. Acting on the ‘tantrik’s’ instructions, Bhim Ram allegedly strangled the child while her mother held her legs to prevent resistance. After confirming her death, the accused allegedly struck her head with a stone to collect blood as part of the ritual and later buried the body.
Police added that Bhim Ram has prior criminal allegations, including involvement in earlier murders. Following the investigation, all three accused have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
The case has sparked widespread outrage, with local residents staging protests demanding justice. The Opposition BJP observed a 12-hour bandh in Hazaribagh.
Taking serious note of the incident, the Jharkhand High Court has taken suo motu cognisance based on media reports and issued notices to the State administration and the Director General of Police.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women has constituted a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the case. The panel is expected to visit the site and submit its report within 10 working days, calling the incident deeply disturbing and raising serious concerns over the safety of women and girls.