Kochi, Oct 12 (IANS): A local court here on Wednesday sent three people accused of killing two women allegedly as part of a "ritualistic human sacrifice" in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district, to two weeks judicial custody.

The accused couple -- Bhagaval Singh and his wife Laila --used to run a massage centre near Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district in their house. Their agent Mohammed Shafi had in June and September, brought the two women to the house, where they were brutally murdered by the couple.

Shafi has been named as the first accused, followed by Singh and Laila.

While Laila has been sent to the Women's Jail, here, the other two will be housed at the Kakkanad Jail, also in Ernakulam district.

Kochi Police Commissioner C.H. Nagaraju said that the two women were killed and buried by the couple as part of the ritualistic human sacrifice.

While Singh has been a popular traditional physician (vaidyan) in the area running the massage centre for long, with Laila -- his second wife -- assisting him.