Assam Police have arrested a priest and the father of a four-year-old girl for killing her on Sunday night at Sonari in Charaideo district as an act of sacrifice to cure the priest from some unknown illness.
“We were informed on Monday by the victim’s eldest sister that her sister, who was sleeping with two other siblings and their grandmother, had been abducted by some unknown persons,” said Sudhakar Singh, superintendent of police, Charaideo district.
A search operation was launched, and on Tuesday, the victim’s body was found in a nearby river. Police also found the child’s clothes and some other items associated with religious rituals from the bank of the river.
“The recovery of the body and other items led us to suspect that it could be a case of witchcraft or human sacrifice. Our teams questioned several people and finally the victim’s father and a local priest have been arrested for involvement in the child’s murder,” Singh said.
The victim’s father and the priest were co-workers at the Safrai tea garden and were very close. The victim’s father also used to work as a part time help in the priest’s house, police said.
{{/usCountry}}The victim’s father and the priest were co-workers at the Safrai tea garden and were very close. The victim’s father also used to work as a part time help in the priest’s house, police said.
{{/usCountry}}“Both accused have confessed to their involvement in the murder. Preliminary investigation revealed that the priest claimed to have dreamt that he had some incurable illness, which could be cured only with the sacrifice of a child. He disclosed this to the victim’s father who decided to help him by offering his own child for the sacrificial ritual,” said Singh.
The duo strangled the victim and threw her body in the river, from where it was recovered and sent for post-mortem. Further investigation was underway and more people could be arrested, said police.