- Man and self-styled tantrik arrested for murder of six-year-old in Rajasthan
- Child Lokesh killed for occult ritual to reconcile accused's estranged marriage
- Lokesh's throat was slit; syringe marks found from attempted blood extraction
A man and a self-styled 'tantrik' have been arrested in Rajasthan for the murder of a six-year-old boy, who was allegedly killed for use in an occult ritual aimed at reconciling the accused's estranged marriage.
The incident occurred in Sarai Kalan village in Alwar district. The child, identified as Lokesh, was reported missing on July 19. That same evening, his body was found concealed under straw in an abandoned building. His throat had been slit. Multiple syringe marks were later discovered on the body, with police claiming that the man and the occultist extracted blood for black magic.
Two days later, Lokesh's uncle, Manoj Kumar, was arrested after a police investigation revealed discrepancies in his account. Manoj eventually confessed to the crime, stating that he had murdered the child on the advice of a 'tantrik', Sunil Kumar, who was subsequently taken into custody on July 22.
According to police, Manoj's wife had left their home some time ago following a domestic dispute and was residing with her family in her native village. Desperate to bring her back, Manoj reportedly sought the help of Sunil Kumar.
Sunil allegedly demanded Rs 12,000 and the liver and blood of a child as offerings for a ritual designed to subdue Manoj's wife and compel her return. Manoj agreed.
On the afternoon of July 19, Manoj lured his nephew Lokesh, the son of his brother-in-law Bintu, away from home on the pretext of buying him toffees. Instead, he took the boy to a deserted, half-ruined house in the village. There, police say, Manoj strangled Lokesh and attempted to drain his blood using syringes. He then concealed the body in a room filled with straw and logs, intending to extract the liver later.
Lokesh's disappearance was reported that same day by his father. A search was launched immediately, and by 8 pm, the child's body was discovered hidden in the abandoned structure. Initially, Manoj had joined family members in searching for Lokesh, even visiting the site where the body was eventually found.
The case was initially registered against unknown persons. As the investigation progressed, CCTV footage from the area led police to question Manoj more closely.
Upon interrogation, Manoj allegedly broke down and disclosed the full sequence of events, including the involvement of Sunil. The police then arrested Sunil from his village and are now probing his role in other possible instances of occult-related crimes.
A used syringe was recovered from the scene, allegedly the same one used by Manoj in an attempt to draw blood from the child's body. Forensic teams have secured additional samples and evidence from the house, which has since been sealed.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
