Kerala human sacrifice case: Prime accused labelled a 'psychopath & pervert'
Darpan News Desk IANS, 12 Oct, 2022 11:03 AM
Kochi, Oct 12 (IANS) The Kerala Police probing the suspected human sacrifice case in Pathanamthitta district who arrested three persons in connection with the death of two women, has identified the prime accused Mohammed Shafi as a "psychopath" and a "pervert".
The couple which committed the heinous act have been identified as Bhagaval Singh and his wife Laila, who used to run a massage centre near Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district at their house Shafi brought the two women to the couple's home in June and September, and they were brutally murdered by the couple.
Shafi has been named as the prime accused along with Singh and Laila.
Addressing the media in Kochi after the accused trio were produced before the city court which sent them to two weeks judicial custody, Kochi Police Commissioner C.H. Nagaraju said Shafi is a history-sheeter and is involved in a dozen cases registered against him in the past 15 years.
"Shafi has studied only up to Class 6 and did all menial jobs right from a driver to a mechanic to the one who runs a hotel. A rape case has been registered against him in the past when he raped a 75-year-old woman and also used a knife to make wounds in the private parts. We have found out that the same places were injured in the two women who were murdered apparently as a human sacrifice," Nagaraju added.
"It has now been proved that he (Shafi) is a psychopath and a sexual pervert, and the one who derives sexual pleasure and will go to any extent even to kill for it. He has been using a fake Facebook account and it says that if anyone has financial problems to contact him. That's how he befriended Singh and it took three years for him to win their confidence and trap them and the crime took place," the Commissioner said.
Responding to questions after reports emerged that the couple after murdering the two women as part of black magic had cooked and eaten their body parts, Nagaraju said for this to be proved there has to be a proper scientific examination as at the moment there is no evidence of it.
He added that the police have now constituted a special team and will seek the custody of the accused to ensure that the probe is completed.
Presiding over a meeting here with representatives of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Doaba) and the Sandhar Sugar Mill of Phagwara, the minister categorically directed the officers concerned to ensure that of the Rs 72 crore payment due (since the last three years) towards the farmers, Rs 22 crore must be realized soon and credited into the accounts of farmers by selling the property of the mill at Bhuna in Haryana.
Padma Shri Sahney made this announcement before taking oath of office in Parliament. Before the oath, he took part in 'kirtan' and 'ardaas' organised at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib here. On the occasion, Sahney announced that he will donate all his and staff salary of his tenure for the education of economically weaker students.
Mann said the 254-km long Delhi-Katra highway will be constructed at a cost Rs 11,510 crore and will pass through nine districts of the state -- Jalandhar, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Patiala, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur.
In a status report before Justice Anoop Chitkara's Bench, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sukhnaaz Singh said in view of the facts and circumstances, it is evident that there is sufficient prima facie evidence on record which reveals that the petitioner is the main conspirator, who hatched conspiracy with Gaurav Patial (accused) for eliminating Middukhera.
In January 2019, a special CBI court in Panchkula also sentenced Rahim and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati over 16 years ago. His conviction on August 25, 2017 had led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa, leaving 41 people dead and over 260 injured.
According to customs officials, "The gold was in the form of a paste which was wrapped in black tape in two packets. The total weight of the packets was 433 grams. After removing the tape and other impurities from gold, it weighs 397 grams."
