Mother sacrifices daughter in Jharkhand ritual to cure son’s illness

In a grim reminder that superstition and blind belief still endanger lives in 21st‑century India, a 13‑year‑old girl was allegedly strangled and killed in a ritual sacrifice in Kusumbha village, Hazaribagh district. Police have arrested the girl’s mother , a local tantrik (occult practitioner) and another man in connection with the case.

According to Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan and DIG Anjani Jha, the accused are 35‑year‑old Reshmi Devi, her 55‑year‑old consultant Shanti Devi and 40‑year‑old Bhim Ram. Investigators allege that Reshmi Devi regularly consulted the tantrik to cure her youngest son’s mental and physical ailments. The occult practitioner reportedly told her that sacrificing a “virgin girl” would lead to the son’s recovery.

The killing took place on the night of March 24, during the Ram Navami procession known as Mangla Julus , when villagers were attending festive celebrations. Police say the girl was strangled at Shanti Devi’s house, subjected to other ritualistic acts and subsequently buried in a garden. Prosecutors said the three initially tried to mislead investigators by falsely claiming rape, but postmortem and forensic reports ruled out sexual assault . Bhim Ram also faces allegations in unrelated murder cases.

The Jharkhand High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and issued notices to the state administration and the Director General of Police, underlining the court’s concern about ritualistic violence against children and women .

In response to the discovery of the body and the unfolding investigation, the state’s Director General of Police constituted a three‑member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe all angles of the incident, including examination of forensic evidence and witness statements.

The case has triggered public and political backlash. The BJP staged a 12‑hour bandh in Hazaribagh to protest the killing and has accused the state government of failing to act decisively against medieval superstitions and barbaric practices . A BJP Rajya Sabha member described the incident as a “horrifying example of blind faith” and urged the government to launch awareness campaigns and stricter enforcement against harmful superstitious beliefs.

The incident has reignited debate over persistent beliefs in black magic and ritualistic practices in rural parts of the country, underscoring the urgent need for sustained social awareness, stronger legal enforcement, and community education against such dangerous notions.