Aurangabad: In a shocking case of blind faith, a 65-year-old man was allegedly sacrificed by a tantrik (occultist) and his accomplices on March 13 in the belief that the ritual would grant a child to a desperate couple. The victim, identified as Yugal Yadav, was beheaded, with his torso burned in the Holika Dahan bonfire while his severed head was buried in a pit.
The gruesome crime came to light after police recovered human bones from the bonfire site in Bangre village under Madanpur police station limits. On Friday (March 28), Aurangabad SP Ambrish Rahul confirmed the case and announced the arrest of four individuals, including a minor. The prime accused, tantrik Ramashish Bhuiyan, remains absconding.
How the Crime Unfolded
According to the police, Sudhir Paswan, a resident of Purnadih village, had been childless for years. Seeking a solution, he approached Ramashish Bhuiyan, who allegedly advised him to perform a human sacrifice during Holika Dahan. Initially hesitant, Sudhir eventually agreed, believing it would fulfill his wish for a child.
A group, including Sudhir, Nanku alias Sanjit, Karan Bhuiyan alias Roshan Kumar, Dharmendra Bhuiyan, and a minor, conspired to kill Yugal Yadav, a resident of Gulab Bigha village. On the evening of March 13, they lured Yugal Yadav to the site and brutally slit his throat. His torso was thrown into the Holika Dahan flames, while his head was stuffed in a sack and buried nearby.
Discovery of the Crime
The next morning, villagers collecting ashes from the bonfire noticed human bones and immediately alerted the police. Meanwhile, Yugal Yadav’s family grew worried about his absence, and on March 19, his son lodged a missing person’s report at Madanpur police station.
A special investigation team (SIT) was formed under the leadership of SDPO Amit Kumar. Their probe led them to Bangre village, where they discovered a slipper and blood stains near a bridge. Yadav’s family confirmed the slipper belonged to him.
Breakthrough in the Investigation
A forensic and dog squad was brought in to track the accused. The dog, named ‘Lucky,’ led investigators straight to tantrik Ramashish Bhuiyan’s house. While the tantrik had already fled, his brother-in-law, Dharmendra Bhuiyan, was present. Under questioning, Dharmendra confessed to the crime and provided details about the other suspects.
Following this, police arrested Sudhir Paswan, Nanhku alias Sanjit Kumar, Karu Bhuiyan alias Roshan, and Dharmendra Bhuiyan. However, the tantrik remains on the run.
Recovery of the Victim’s Head and Murder Weapon
Fifteen days after the crime, police recovered Yugal Yadav’s severed head from a wheat field based on the accused’s confession. The search for the murder weapon faced initial hurdles, as the accused misled police about its location. However, the dog squad was deployed again, leading officers to a drain where the sharp weapon (fasuli) used in the killing was found.
Superstition-Driven Crimes on the Rise in Bihar
This incident adds to the rising number of cases linked to superstitious rituals in Bihar. In a separate case, Bhagalpur police recently arrested two men for stealing human skulls from graves, allegedly to be used in black magic and sold to medical labs.
