2 women killed in suspected case of human sacrifice in Kerala's Thiruvalla

In a suspected case of human sacrifice, two women were found murdered and buried by a couple in Thiruvalla in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district, the police said on Tuesday. They were earlier reported to be missing.

The couple, identified as Bhagaval Singh and his wife Laila, used to run a massage centre near Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district at their house.

Kochi Police Commissioner C.H. Nagaraju confirmed that the two women were killed and buried by the couple.

"This was done as part of a ritualistic human sacrifice. The couple was taken into custody on the statement of one Shihab and all the three are now being taken to the house of the couple. The man is a 'vadiyar' (traditional physician) and this is a very complicated case and there are several layers in the case."

"The body of the woman who disappeared last month will be exhumed and will be sent to forensic experts. The motive of the crime has been confessed as human sacrifice and we confirmed it from the statement given by the couple which was done for financial betterment," said Nagaraju.

According to reports that have emerged, Shihab alias Mohammed Shafi has been identified as the mastermind behind the murders of the two women.

He first created a fake social media account in the name of Sreedevi and became friendly with the couple, Bhagaval and Laila.

He convinced the couple that there is a person named Rashid, who has superpowers and if they please him, they will flourish financially.

Later, Shihab for the first time meets the couple and identifies himself as Rashid and they become friendly. The idea of a human sacrifice is discussed for which he and Laila should have sex in front of Singh.

Shihab says he will come back with a woman for the human sacrifice and in August arrived with a woman, who has now been identified as Rosalyn.

Later, he came with Rosalyn to the couple's house under the pretext that she will be paid Rs 10 lakh if she acts in a soft porn film.

Rosalyn was then asked to lie on a bed and as part of the film shooting, the accused trio tied her up on the bed. Soon, Singh came with a hammer and smashed her head.

Singh's wife Laila using a sword slashed Rosalyn's neck and used a knife to stab her private parts and that blood was sprayed around the house.

Later, Rosalyn's body was buried in the couple's house.

The couple finds that despite engaging in the human sacrifice, they find no change in their financial or economic status and called up Shihab.

Shihab said some bad omen has fallen upon the couple. Therefore, to come out of it, one more human sacrifice has to be conducted and soon he will bring another woman.

As planned, Shihab brought another woman, who was identified as Padmam from Tamil Nadu after which the human sacrifice was conducted.

Earlier, the Kochi Police Commissioner had said that this case was not normal.

"This is a sensational case and we need more time and I will be able to tell you... as the probe team are currently on the job," Nagaraju added.

Earlier, the Ernakulam police started a probe after a 50-year-old woman went missing on September 27.

After tracing the mobile call tower to Thiruvalla, the police found that the missing woman was in touch with Shihab, an agent.

Prior to September 27, another woman, also in her 50s, went missing from the same area at Ernakulam. In this case too the mobile call tower locations and the calls made by the missing woman were traced to Shihab.

The police first took Shihab into custody and then the alleged accused couple was also questioned.

The investigating team is now trying to recover the bodies of the two missing women and the exhumation process is presently on at the house of the couple.

As the news came out, the locals and the couple's neighbours were shocked.

"I have known him (Singh) for the past 50 years and none had a doubt about his work as a lot of people used to come to the couple's house for massage. None had any doubt about this man. It was yesterday I saw a police vehicle in front of their home. After some time, the couple was taken away in the police vehicle," said a local.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, currently on a trip to London, after hearing of the incident said it is shocking and something that should have never happened.

"Only those with a really sick mindset and conscience can engage in such things and is a challenge for the modern society. Such misconception and superstitions should be shunned and the society at large should be wary of all these and each one should come to the front to fight this evil," said Vijayan in a statement issued by the Chief Minister's office.

The accused trio in custody have been taken to the site where the gruesome crime took place.