Thiruvananthapuram : Prime accused Mohammed Shaji is mastermind to Elanthoor ‘human sacrifice’ murders, the City commissioner said in a news conference today.
The victim Padma’s phone record showed she had last communicated with Shafi. And although questioned initially, Shafi denied any involvement in disappearances of the women.
The police then trailed mobile tower locations and CCTV images of a Scorpio car later led police to the couple Bhagaval Singh and Laila’s doorsteps in Elanthoor. When brought in for questioning, they confessed to the crimes. Police then pulled up Shafi again and confronted him with the couple’s confessions. He then slowly admitted his guilt, said the Commissioner.
Shafi is a habitual offender with a history of 15 cases in past 10 years. He dropped out of school after 6 std and has tried his hand at all trades. Shafi is addicted to sexually perverse behaviour and his skill lies in manipulating or coning people to meet his aim, the Commissioner told reporters.
The Killings : Shafi connected with the Elanthoor couple on Facebook using fake profile where he posed as Sreedevi. According to culprit testimonies , “Sreedevi” lured the couple to perform ‘human sacrifice’ to earn themselves luck and fortune. The couple agreed and waited for “Sreedevi” to arrange the prey.
Shafi meanwhile convinced 56-year-old Padmam, a Tamil native who sells lottery for a living, to go with him for unconfirmed reasons. Once at Bhagwal’s house, Shafi posed as man sent by “Sreedevi”, had sex with Laila in full view of her husband and then handed Padmam for sadistic torture at hands of Laila who stabbed the victim at different places including private parts. Padmam eventually died and the trio cut her body into pieces and buried her wrapped in a cloth close to their home.
The couple reportedly failed to find luck from “sacrifice” and Shaji suggested a second sacrifice.
Thus came in the next victim - 49-year-old Roslyn who too was persuaded by Shaji and was subject to tortured death the couple’s Elanthoor home.
It was missing complaint lodged by Padmam’s son and later one filed by Roslyn’s sister for their loved ones, that led police to unearth the murders, which, based on culprits’ account is considered to be ‘human sacrifice’ killings.
