Ernakulam Court Commences Proceedings in Elanthoor Human Sacrifice Murders

Kochi: The trial in the sensational Elanthoor human sacrifice case has begun at the Ernakulam Additional Sessions Court. The proceedings started in connection with the murder of Padma, a native of Tamil Nadu. The accused were produced before the court as the trial formally commenced.

The first accused in the case is Mohammed Shafi, a native of Perumbavoor, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the crime. The second and third accused are Bhagwal Singh, an Ayurvedic practitioner from Elanthoor, and his wife Laila.

According to the prosecution, Padma was brought to Elanthoor and murdered on September 16, 2022. After the killing, her body was reportedly cut into 56 pieces and buried inside Bhagwal Singh’s house. All three accused were arrested on October 11, 2022.

In January 2023, the police submitted a 1,600-page charge sheet in the Padma murder case. The document lists 166 witnesses, 147 material objects, and 307 pieces of evidence. The charges include Section 302 (murder) and Section 397 (robbery with intent to cause death or grievous hurt) of the Indian Penal Code. Investigators have described the crime as belonging to the “rarest of rare” category due to its brutality.