In a spine-chilling incident that exposes the deep-rooted grip of superstition, a 13-year-old girl was allegedly “sacrificed” by her own mother, her lover, and a female occultist in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh. The trio has been arrested for the gruesome murder that took place on the night of Ram Navami in Kusumbha village.

Police investigations revealed that the mother had been consulting a tantric named Shanti Devi to cure her son’s prolonged illness and end the family’s financial woes. The tantric convinced her that only a “human sacrifice of a virgin girl” could appease the spirits. On the night of Durga Ashtami, the mother and her lover, Bhim Ram, lured the girl to a secluded bamboo grove. As per the plan, the mother held her daughter’s legs while Bhim strangled her. To satisfy the occultist’s demands, the girl was tortured to collect blood before her body was dumped.

The police SIT cracked the case after the mother’s initial missing person report turned out to be a cover-up. It was also discovered that the lover, Bhim Ram, was a repeat offender with prior murder charges. This horrifying act has once again raised questions about the prevalence of blind faith in modern society. All three accused are currently in judicial custody.