India: Man beheads wife to appease deity, buries body at home in Madhya Pradesh

A 50-year-old man allegedly beheaded his wife to “please a deity”, and buried the body in his house, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, on Thursday. Social media users in the country, are sharing news reports of the incident, with many reacting not just against the gruesome crime .

Reportedly, the incident took place on Wednesday in Basauda village, in Singrauli district.

The accused was arrested after his two sons alerted the police.

While talking to media, additional district superintendent of police Pradeep Shende said: "The man allegedly beheaded his 45-year-old wife in the early hours of Wednesday. He then buried the head and body, separately, in the puja (prayer ritual) room, in their house and later escaped.”

The official added: "According to his children's statement, the accused killed his wife to please some deity. He also killed a goat some days ago, and buried the carcass in the puja room… After being alerted, the police formed teams and captured the accused on Thursday. I am myself interrogating the accused to get to the bottom of the case. According to the statements of his two sons, it appears the man killed his wife out of superstition."

Urging legal action and punishment, Facebook user Piyush Garg posted: "Shocking! Yes, there are many sick people in the country who should be rushed to a psychiatrist. He should be hanged till death."

Another user Mohammed Saki commented: "What's happening in the world? People are going back to cave culture… Where is humanity?"

Reportedly, India’s anti-superstition law that was passed three years ago, bans 16 practices, including human torture in the guise of religious rituals among several others. Superstitious practices, including black magic, are punishable with imprisonment of up to seven years and a maximum fine of Rs50,000 (Dh2,500).