A tragic incident has emerged from Kusumbha village in Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand, where a 13-year-old girl was reportedly murdered as part of a ritualistic human sacrifice. The girl was last seen on the evening of March 24 during a local Ram Navami procession, known as Mangla Julus. Her body was discovered the following morning in a bamboo grove situated behind a middle school.

Investigation Leads to Multiple Arrests

Authorities initiated a case based on a written complaint by the victim’s mother, initially naming Dhaneshwar Paswan and others under specific provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Pocso Act. Following directives from the Jharkhand Director General of Police and the Superintendent of Police in Hazaribagh, a Special Investigation Team was established on March 26 to delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death.

Role of Occult Practitioner Uncovered

The investigation revealed a troubling narrative steeped in superstition and manipulation. Police determined that Shanti Devi, a 55-year-old self-proclaimed occult practitioner also referred to as ‘Bhagtin,’ had persuaded the girl’s mother to believe that a human sacrifice was necessary to cure her son’s illness and address familial issues. Devi allegedly insisted that a virgin girl be sacrificed, coercing the mother into offering her own daughter for the ritual.

Details of the Ritual Emerge

Reports indicate that the mother had maintained contact with Shanti Devi for nearly three months, who advised her to perform the sacrifice during the Durga Ashtami festivities amid the Ram Navami celebrations. On the night of the crime, the mother and her lover, identified as 40-year-old Bheem Ram, lured the girl to Devi’s residence under the guise of attending a puja. Once there, the situation escalated dramatically.

Allegations of Brutality Confirmed

Authorities reported that Bheem Ram allegedly strangled the girl while the mother restrained her limbs as she fought back. Subsequent actions during the ritual were described by police as particularly macabre, involving the insertion of a wooden stick into the victim’s body and striking her head to procure blood for the sacrificial ceremony. Following these acts, the body was abandoned at the scene.

Accused Individuals in Custody

All individuals implicated in the case, including the girl’s mother, her lover, and Shanti Devi, have been arrested and placed in judicial custody. Bheem Ram faces additional allegations regarding the murders of his sister-in-law and another individual, marking a disturbing case that highlights the potential dangers associated with superstitious beliefs and blind faith within communities.

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