Hazaribagh (Jharkhand): Police have arrested the 35-year-old mother of a teenage girl, along with an occult practitioner and another man, in connection with the alleged ritual killing of the girl in Kusumbha village, officials said.

Arrests Made After Investigation

Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan and DIG Anjani Jha confirmed the arrests during a late-night press conference.

The accused have been identified as Reshmi Devi (mother of the victim), 55-year-old Shanti Devi (occult practitioner), and 40-year-old Bhim Ram, all residents of the same village.

Sacrifice Allegedly Planned to Cure Ill Son

According to police, Reshmi Devi frequently visited the occult practitioner seeking treatment for her youngest son, who suffers from mental and physical ailments.

During these visits, the occultist allegedly advised that sacrificing a virgin girl would cure the boy’s condition.

On March 24, coinciding with Ashtami celebrations and the Mangla Julus during Ram Navami, the accused allegedly carried out the act at Shanti Devi’s house. The girl was strangled, and her body was later buried in a garden.

Attempt to Mislead Police Foiled

Police said the accused initially tried to mislead investigators by claiming that the girl had been raped and murdered. However, postmortem and forensic reports ruled out rape.

Further investigation revealed details of the ritual killing, leading to the arrests. Authorities also stated that Bhim Ram has previous allegations of involvement in other murders.

High Court Takes Cognisance, Protests Erupt

The Jharkhand High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the case and issued notices to the state administration and the Director General of Police. The matter was heard by a division bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Sanjay Prasad.

Earlier, the victim’s mother had claimed that her daughter was abducted, and her body was found in a field on March 25.

The incident has sparked outrage in the region, with the opposition BJP calling for a 12-hour bandh in Hazaribagh to protest against the killing.