Strangled, legs chopped off: Bihar woman sacrifices two-year-old so daughter can conceive

Facing pressure and threats from her in-laws regarding a second marriage, the woman turned to an exorcist who assured her that sacrificing a young boy would grant her daughter a male child.

Bihar Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the alleged ritualistic killing of a two-year-old boy in Kaimur district. The woman at the centre of the case, driven by superstitious beliefs, sacrificed the child in the hope that it would enable her daughter to conceive, Hindustan Times reported. Law enforcement officials confirmed the arrests on Thursday.

The toddler, who had been missing since January 22, was found dead a week later in a pit near Kudra railway station. His decomposed body was recovered following an extensive search, according to Kaimur Superintendent of Police (SP) Hari Mohan Shukla.

Authorities believe the woman was influenced by an exorcist, who is currently absconding. She is accused of strangling the child and severing his legs using a grader machine, which has since been seized by the police. "The identity of the exorcist has been established, and efforts are underway to apprehend him," Shukla stated.

The victim, originally from Gazipur district in Uttar Pradesh, had travelled to Lalapur with his mother to attend a family wedding. He was last seen playing outside his grandmother’s home before disappearing, prompting his uncle, Ajay Pal, to lodge a missing persons report with Kudra police.

A police investigation utilizing electronic surveillance and intelligence-gathering led to the arrest of five suspects: Munni Kunwar, her son Avinash Kumar, his associate Ankit Kumar, Laxmina Devi, and her son Parasnath Pal.

During questioning, Munni reportedly confessed, revealing that her married daughter was unable to conceive despite medical treatment. Facing pressure and threats from her in-laws regarding a second marriage, she turned to an exorcist who assured her that sacrificing a young boy would grant her daughter a male child.

Munni allegedly conspired with Laxmina and Ankit to carry out the abduction. On January 22, Ankit and Parasnath allegedly kidnapped the child from outside his grandmother’s residence and handed him over to Munni. Following the ritualistic killing, Laxmina disposed of the body in a secluded area, according to investigators.

Police also discovered that the accused attempted to conceal evidence by cementing over the spot where the killing took place. Authorities are continuing their search for the exorcist linked to the crime.

(Disclaimer: This article has been written by a generative AI tool and has been edited and reviewed by the DH Web Desk)