stabbing, slitting, stab, stab to death, knife attack, knife, criminal, murder
Illustrative image. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Thiruvananthapuram: Two women in Kerala who had gone missing were likely ‘sacrificed’ in ghastly black magic rites at Elanthoor village in Pathanamthitta district, suspect police.

According to first reports, the two women, identified as Rosily, a native of Idukki district and a resident of Kalady near Kochi, and Padmam, a resident of Kochi, were lured by a person identified as Mohammed Shafi, alias Shihab, a native of Perumbavur in the outskirts of Kochi. Both women were lottery sellers.

Police suspect that Shihab had promised prosperity through black magic in a social media post, and the couple from Elanthoor in Pathanamthitta district, Bhagawal Singh and his wife Laila were lured through the post. It is thought the two victims Rosily and Padmam were taken to Elanthoor, Pathanamthitta by Shihab, where they were murdered as part of black magic.

Police have taken the three suspects into custody, and early reports indicate that the two women were murdered by slitting their necks, and buried near the couple’s residence in Elanthoor.

Police are yet to confirm whether it was Shihab who masterminded the operation by putting out a social media post promising wealth and affluence through black magic, and also whether Bhagwal Singh and Laila were induced by the offer.

The dates of the disappearance of the two women are yet to be confirmed, but it is estimated that Rosily and Padmam were murdered over a four-month period. Padmam had gone missing in the last week of September.

A resident of Elanthoor told Gulf News that the accused couple stayed a little away from the main road, which kept them out of public gaze and may have enabled them to conduct the rites without drawing attention. Police are yet to ascertain if the couple and Shihab together murdered the two women.

The gory details began emerging after relatives of Padmam from Tamil Nadu informed police in Kochi that there had been no word from her for a while. Police investigation showed her mobile signal was registered last at Aranmula near Pathanamthitta. That took the investigators to Pathanamthitta district, and to the house of the couple, Bhagawal Singh and Laila.