Kerala police rubbishes involvement of organ trade mafia in human sacrifice case

PTI, Oct 18, 2022, 4:44 PM IST

The Kerala police on Tuesday denied reports that the organ trade mafia was involved in the sacrifice of two women in the state.

Kochi city police commissioner, C Nagaraju, said the investigation team has gathered numerous scientific and cyber evidence in connection with the crime.

Three people– Bhagaval Singh (68), a massage therapist, and his wife Laila (59) were arrested along with prime accused Mohammed Shafi (52), after details of the gruesome murders came out on October 11. Two women were allegedly sacrificed at the residence of the couple at Elanthoor in Pathanamthitta district in two different instances since June, to settle their financial issues and bring prosperity.

”A lot of scientific evidence and cyber evidence were gathered. We have found that Facebook accounts were the main tool used to influence the couple. We are collecting the evidence based on the statement of the accused,” Nagaraju said.

Asked about media reports about the involvement of an organ racket, Nagaraju said organ harvesting cannot take place in such unsterilised conditions.

”If we look into the matter with common sense, organ transplantation cannot happen in such unhygienic or unsterilised conditions. He may have influenced the other accused by saying all these. However, we are investigating all aspects. We have taken blood samples from everywhere inside the house,” Nagaraju said.

A few mobile phones have been recovered and inquiry is on in this connection. ”The accused gave an account of the incident, which we have to verify. We cannot simply go by what they have said.” Police said the accused have used sharp objects to chop the bodies into pieces.

”Doctors have worked hard and taken a long time conducting the post-mortem proceedings. We suspect it was Shafi who had cut the bodies into pieces,” Nagaraju said.

The police will take the accused to some spots for recovering evidence. All the three accused were well versed in using social media. The body parts of the deceased were exhumed from the premises of the couple’s house at Elanthoor village in Pathanamthitta on October 11.

The first woman went missing on September 26 and the probe led to Shafi. On further interrogating him, police found the trio had killed the other victim in a similar manner in June.