Kolkata, Oct 13 (IANS): An eight-year-old girl has been killed at Chanchal sub-division of Malda district in West Bengal, allegedly as part of black magic rituals conducted by a local tantrik, Bikram Bhagat.

Following the recovery of the victim's body, local people severely beat up the accused and he is currently under treatment at a hospital in Chanchal in extremely critical condition.

An officer of Chanchal Police station has informed media persons that the body of the victim has been sent for autopsy at Malda Medical College & Hospital. "The real reason of death can be ascertained only after the autopsy report comes," he said. Police is also investigating whether the victim girl was raped before murder.

The victim was missing since Wednesday. Finally, on late Wednesday night, her body was recovered beside a water body adjacent to the residence of the accused, Bikram Bhagat. Her throat was slit.

The locals informed police that the accused, who was known in the locality as a tantrik practicing black magic, was earlier also nabbed by the local people while attempting to kidnap a local minor girl for the purpose of sacrifice. However, he apologised and the local people released him with a strong note of caution.

The deceased father of the accused was also known in the locality as a tantrik, though there was no complaint against him ever. The local people also informed the police that after the body of the victim girl was recovered from near the residence of the accused, they rushed to his residence.

"However, he tried to escape. Later, in the face of the angry mob, he confessed that he sacrificed the girl as part of the black magic rituals," local resident Achin Haldar told the police.

The father of the victim is a migrant worker currently working in Bihar. He has three children, the victim was the eldest, and two sons. The victim's mother has demanded capital punishment for the accused.