Mother, Partner, Tantrik Arrested in Jharkhand Girl's Ritual Killing

In Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand, police have arrested a 35-year-old woman, her longtime partner and a self-proclaimed occult practitioner in connection with the ritual killing of her 12-year-old daughter on the night of March 24 in Kusumbha village. The incident occurred during Ashtami celebrations as part of Navratri and Ram Navami festivities, when the village was participating in a Mangla Julus procession.

Authorities identified the suspects as Reshmi Devi, the victim's mother; 40-year-old Bhim Ram, who police described as Devi's partner of nearly a decade; and 55-year-old Shanti Devi, the occult practitioner also known as a tantrik. According to investigators, Reshmi Devi had consulted Shanti Devi for months seeking remedies for her youngest son's physical and mental health issues. The tantrik allegedly advised that sacrificing a virgin girl would cure the boy and resolve the family's problems, leading Reshmi Devi to select her own daughter.

Police stated that on the night of the incident, Reshmi Devi and Bhim Ram took the girl to Shanti Devi's house under the pretext of a prayer ritual. There, the mother and Bhim Ram allegedly strangled the child while Shanti Devi...