In a case of human sacrifice, a 65-year-old man was allegedly murdered as part of a black magic ritual, with his torso burned in a Holika Dahan fire in Bihar’s Aurangabad district.
A total of five people, including Sudhir Paswan, Dharmendra and three others, have been arrested, police said. But, the 'tantrik' is still on the run.
According to officials, the deceased, identified as Yugal Yadav, had been reported missing on March 13 at the Madanpur police station.
Aurangabad superintendent of police Ambrish Rahul said that a case was registered, and they formed a special investigation team to locate Yadav.
“During the investigation, officials came to know about the discovery of human bones from the ashes of a Holika Dahan fire in the neighbouring village of Banger,” he said.
Police have recovered the victim’s skull from a nearby field and his charred bones from the fire site.
Upon closer inspection of the site, authorities found charred human remains along with Yugal’s slippers.
Police deployed a dog squad, leading investigators to the house of Ramashish Rikyasan, a local resident and ‘tantrik’.
Ramashish was not present at his residence, but his relative, Dharmendra, was taken into custody.
"During interrogation, Dharmendra confessed that he and others had kidnapped and beheaded Yugal as a part of black magic rituals. His torso was then burnt in the Holika Dahan fire. Based on Dharmendra's statement, police recovered the victim's severed head from a nearby field," said the SP.
The investigation further revealed that Ramashish Rikyasan had conducted the ritual on behalf of Sudhir Paswan, who was seeking a child.
"Dharmendra also admitted that the group had earlier sacrificed a teenager, whose body was dumped in a well in the same locality," SP Rahul added.
A missing person report had been filed earlier regarding the teenager, but the case had remained unsolved untill Dharmendra’s confession.
Authorities have seized the weapon used in the crime, and the recovered human remains have been sent for scientific testing, including DNA examination.
“A manhunt has been launched to track down the absconding tantrik,” SP Rahul confirmed.
