Dismembered
bodies of two women were found in Kerala’s Thiruvalla village in Pathanamthitta
district Tuesday. The women were killed as part of a human sacrifice ritual,
police say. Three people, Rashid, Bhagaval Singh and his wife Laila, are accused
in the case. They were sent to judicial custody for 14 days on Wednesday.

The two
women whose bodies were found have been identified as Padmam and Roselin
Verghese. One of them was missing since June and another from September.  

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In Padmam’s
case, it was her sister who reported her missing. Padmam was 52 years old and
was a resident of Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu. Padmam’s sister approached the
police on September 27 after she stopped taking her calls. Prior to that, the
two sisters would speak every day, according to a report on The Quint. Roselin
Verghese was reported missing by her son.

Why did
Mohammed Shaji, Bhagaval Singh and Laila engage in human sacrifice?

Police say
the trio engaged in human sacrifice in the superstitious belief that it will
bring them financial prosperity. Mohammed Shaji, the prime accused in the case,
is said to have suggested the ritual to Bhagaval Singh and his wife Laila.
Shafi is said to be responsible for the abductions and the murders, The Quint
report states.

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Who are
Mohammad Shaji, Bhagaval Singh and Laila?

While not
much is known about Shaji, also known as Rashid, Bhagaval Singh and Laila are
husband and wife. Their neighbours say the couple are a perfectly normal family.
“We have always found them normal. There was nothing extraordinary or abnormal
among them,” said Mercy Matthew, panchayat president of Elanthoor village, The
Quint reported.

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Bhagaval
Singh’s Facebook account portrays a lover of haiku and an empathiser with the
Communist Party of India (Marxist), the ruling party in Kerala.