WEB DESK / AGENCIES
In an apparent case of human sacrifice, three persons were found dead at premises of a temple in Korthikota of Tanakal in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
While the dead bodies were found right outside the temple, blood was found splattered over the Shivalingam inside the temple, police sources said.
The three people – Shivarami Reddy who was looking after the temple, his sister Kamalamma, and another woman from the same village, Sathyalakshmi – were found with their throats slit in the under construction temple.
On Monday morning, the local police found three dead bodies in the Shivalayam which is under construction, as the old temple in the village was demolished sometime back.
According to reports, two bodies were found lying on a cot, and on the ground, in a pool of blood. A devotee who came to the temple in the morning found the dead bodies and informed the police.
Police are also investigating whether the crime scene was arranged in such a way to throw off the probe. “We suspect that someone deliberately tried to influence the investigation by doing some suspicious things after the murders,” said a police official.
Police suspect the three people were killed with sharp objects. A murder case has been registered and investigation is underway.
Kadiri DySP Srinivasulu said, “Unidentified persons have killed Shivarami Reddy by causing heavy injuries on his head, as per preliminary investigation. We have roped in the dog squad and clues teams, we will use all the clues to investigate the case from all possible angles.”
In a similar case, a headless body was found in Nallamala forests of Kurnool district earlier this week raising suspicions about human sacrifice.
Last year the headless body of a girl was found floating in the NTR water reservoir near Kalvakuntla in Penumuru Mandal of Chittoor district. The discovery of things such as vermillion, turmeric, and a few pooja items was found in the vicinity, had led to the suspicion that it was a case of human sacrifice.