Mother Among Three Arrested in Hazaribag Girl's Ritual Murder Case
In a deeply disturbing development from Hazaribag district, police have arrested three individuals, including the mother of the victim, in connection with the ritual killing of a 12-year-old girl. The arrests follow a week-long investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that uncovered horrifying details of the crime.
Chronology of the Crime and Investigation
The incident began on March 24 when the minor girl went missing during a Ram Navami Mangla procession. Her body was discovered the next morning in a bamboo grove behind a middle school in Hazaribag district. Initially, the mother, Pushpa Devi, filed an FIR alleging rape and murder by some villagers, which sparked widespread outrage and political controversy.
However, the investigation took a dramatic turn. A post-mortem report confirmed the girl died of asphyxiation, with no evidence of rape. Despite this, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act remains applicable because a bamboo stick was inserted into the victim's private parts after she was strangled.
Arrests and Accused Details
The police have arrested three individuals:
- Pushpa Devi (35): The victim's mother
- Ramesh (45): Pushpa's lover, with whom she had an extra-marital affair for about a decade
- Shila Devi (55): A self-styled 'bhagtin' or 'ojha' (faith healer)
Note: The names of the accused have been changed for legal reasons.
Motivation and Execution of the Crime
According to SP Anjani Anjan, Pushpa had been consulting Shila for approximately a year regarding her younger son's physical and mental health issues, as well as a land dispute. Shila allegedly convinced Pushpa that her son was under the influence of 'bad spirits' and that sacrificing a virgin girl would resolve all problems.
On the evening of March 24, Pushpa took her daughter to Shila's house for a ritual. After attending the Mangla Julus procession, she returned with the victim around 9:30 PM. Ramesh joined them by scaling the boundary wall of Shila's house.
The trio then performed additional rituals at a temple on Shila's premises before taking the girl to the bamboo grove. There, they spread a plastic sheet, and on Shila's instructions, Pushpa held her daughter's legs while Ramesh strangled her to death. Ramesh subsequently struck the victim's head with a stone, and the blood was used in rituals and sprinkled at the temple.
Investigation Findings and Legal Proceedings
The SIT, established on March 26 under IPS (trainee) Shubham Bhausaheb Nagaragojey, was closely monitored by DC Shashi Prakash Singh, DGP Tadasha Mishra, DIG Anjani Jha, and SP Anjan. DGP Mishra personally visited Hazaribag on April 1 to oversee the probe.
Investigation revealed that Pushpa and Ramesh attempted to mislead authorities. Ramesh, who frequently visited Pushpa's house while her husband worked in Mumbai, has a criminal history; he was previously accused in his brother's wife's murder case in 1998 and served jail time before obtaining bail.
DC Shashi Prakash Singh stated that the case is registered under the POCSO Act. The previously announced Rs 4 lakh compensation for the victim's family has been put on hold pending the investigation's completion, with a final decision to be made afterward.
This case highlights the tragic consequences of superstition and criminal conspiracy, leading to the loss of a young life in Hazaribag.
