Mangalore, December 17: In a macabre incident, Priyanka, a three year old girl child studying at KPT Anganavadi was killed in an apparent sacrifice as part of a black-magic ritual under Kadri Police station limits on Friday, December 17.
Priyanka’s body was discovered from a plantation at Sharbatkatte, near Yeyyadi. She was the daughter of Firankumar Ja and Anjali Ja, a native of Bihar and working as helper in a godown at Sharbatkatte.
The Child was brutally killed by Kamalaksha and Chandrakala, a resident of Sharabatkatte for their black magic practice. On interrogation, Chandrakala, one of the culprits, revealed that they have grabbed Priyanka from her house and sacrificed to please the dietyat 7:30 p.m. on Dec 17, Friday. . After killing they dumped her in a plantation at Sharbatkatte, she revealed.
Kamalaksha Purusha, Chandrakala and Madhav Purusha have been taken into custody but police have not made any arrests till 18th Dec. Earlier on Friday, people had attacked the house of the accused; and the police have tightened security in the area to prevent any more violence.
Priyanka, according to locals, was last seen Thursday afternoon playing with her brothers Pankaj (6) and Neeraj (18 months) outside their house.
According to eyewitness accounts, Chandrakala (28), a neighbour, called Priyanka to her house between 2.30 pm and 3 pm on Thursday. The girl child was never spotted thereafter. The parents searched for Priyanka in the evening and that led them to question Chandralkala about her whereabouts. Late in the evening, the distraught parents approached the police at the Kadri Police Station after Chandrakala insisted that the child had left her house a long time ago.
A police team launched a search, but failed to trace the girl. The police subsequently questioned Chandrakala.
On Friday morning, she confessed that her alleged step father Kamalaksha Purusha (72), a tantrik, had strangulated the child on Thursday evening in a ritual, according to DCP Ramesh. She later led the police to a plantation where the child’s body was found covered with leaves, about 300 metres from their house. The body was clad only in underwear. Her footware too was found nearby. As the news of the child sacrifice spread, a large number of people rushed to the spot and ransacked the tantrik’s house.
A few neighbours, including the tantrik’s brother Madhav Purusha (78) (in whose house Priyanka’s parents were living as tenants for the last three months) told that they had warned Priyanka’s parents against sending their daughter to Kamalaksha’s house, suspecting his behaviour.
The neighbours also said Kamalaksha had a live-in relationship with a woman several years ago and Chandrakala was that woman’s daughter. Though Kamalaksha claims that Chandrakala is his step daughter, neighbours as well as police suspect that both have an illegitimate relationship. She, too, had a 5-year-old son, who was missing for the past five months. When queried, both Kamalaksha and Chandrakala said that her son had been adopted by a person in Udupi.
Meanwhile, Chandrakala alleged that Kamalaksha raped the child before she was offered as sacrifice. On the contrary, Kamalaksha continued to say that he has not seen the girl at all. “I can find out the whereabouts of the girl within three days,” he said. To a query on the poojas at his home, he said: “Yesterday was a good day for prayers and the prayers would help me get long life.”
Later, a group of villagers went to the police station and asked the cops to hand over the accused to them. When police resorted to light caning to disperse the crowd, a few antisocial elements threw stones at the police station.
Science and Rationalists’ Association of India, Karnataka Branch, under leadership of Sumitra Padmanabhan, president of SRAI and Debashis , vice president of SRAI demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
Sumitra , who was in Bangalore during the incident said that this kind of gory incident deserves severe punishment.
A letter was sent from SRAI,Karnataka to D.I.G’s office Mangalore requesting to take immediate action.
Debashis who leads the rationalist movement in south India, spoke with the investigating officer of Kadri police station, inspector Neeranjan Raj and filed a formal complain against the culprits.
On 19th Dec inspector Neeranjan Raj confirmed that Kamalaksha Purusha, Chandrakala, Madhav Purusha and Anjali Jha have been arrested .
Culprits: Kamalaksha Purusha (72) and Chandrakala (28) – Anjali Jha, victim’s mother
Courtesy: http://www.mangaloretoday.com, Deccan Herald News Service (DHNS)
RATIONALIST DEBASHIS 