Kanpur (UP), June 21 (IANS): The National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against four accused, including a couple, who had hacked a seven-year-old girl to death in Ghatampur police area in November 2020.
The four had extracted her liver and lungs as part of a 'tantrik' (occult) ritual on Diwali.
The childless couple had indulged in the macabre crime so that they could have children.
District magistrate, Kanpur Nagar, Alok Tiwari told reporters, "We have slapped the National Security Act against the four accused, including Parshuram and his wife Sunaina, with regard to the case."
A youth and his accomplice had hacked to death a seven-year-old girl in their neighbour, extracted her liver and lungs and gave them to his uncle and aunt to be eaten as part of a 'tantrik' (occult) ritual on Diwali so that the childless couple could have children.
Police had arrested all the four accused as several vital organs, including lungs and liver of the child were missing.
Her family members had alleged that the murder could be the result of an occult practice.
After the arrest and interrogation of the two youths, the police initially claimed that the girl had been killed by the two youths when she resisted their attempt to outrage her modesty.
However, during sustained grilling, the youth, Ankul, broke down and confessed to have killed the girl along with his friend Veeran as part of a human sacrifice ritual after being persuaded by his childless uncle Parshuram and aunt Sunaina.
Ankul confessed that he had killed the girl with the help of his friend in an inebriated state. He also alleged that his uncle and aunt gave them Rs 1,000 and asked them to abduct and perform the sacrifice of their neighbour's seven-year-old daughter and bring her vital organs on Diwali night as they believed it was an auspicious time".
The human sacrifice was supposed to solve their problem of childlessness even 21 years after their marriage, the police added.
Locals claimed that Parshuram used to approach 'tantriks' and astrologers for the past few years so that the couple could have children.