ERODE: Five people, including the parents of a six-year-old girl, were arrested in Erode district on Wednesday on charges of planning to kill their daughter in a child sacrifice bid.
The girl’s maternal grandmother, who lodged a complaint with the police against her daughter and son-in-law, said the child’s parents and three others had tortured the child and his 15-year-old brother for a long time.
The accused were identified as the girl’s mother R Ranjitha, 37, father R Ramesh, 44, from Punjai Pilyampatti near Sathyamangalam, Ramesh’s second wife R Indumathi, 34, and their acquaintances Dhanalakshmi alias Sasi, 38, and S Mariappan, 42, from Edappadi in Salem. Police said it was Dhanalakshmi, a sorcerer, who allegedly persuaded the couple to sacrifice the six-year-old girl.
“We have nabbed five people. The allegations seem to be true. Further probe is on,” ADSP Kanageswari said.
According to the complaint lodged by the girl’s grandmother, B Bagyam, on April 13, her daughter Ranjitha and son-in-law Ramalingam had two children aged six years and 15 years. “Ramalingam, a textile trader, had married Indhumathi, six years back.
Since Ranjitha did not object to the marriage, the three were living together at a house at Rail Nagar in Rangampalayam with the two grandchildren,’’ Bagyam said in the complaint. Narrating further, Bagyam said Indhumathi brought home her acquaintance Dhanalakshmi, a sorcerer from the same locality last year. She used to frequent the house ever since and of late started performing odd rituals at night. She would dress like Lord Shiva during the process. “In February, Dhanalakshmi told the couple that they would be bestowed with enormous power, if they sacrifice the girl,’’ police said.
The 15-year-old boy overheard the conversations and informed the grandmother. When she went and sought an explanation, Ranjitha and Ramalingam abused her and sent her away.
Bagyam visited the office of the district superintendent of police and lodged a complaint. She had alleged that they discontinued the boy’s schooling and did not admit the girl in school though she was six years old. They were forced to do household chores throughout the day and were beaten often, Bagyam alleged.
“I asked for the boy’s school transfer certificate so that I can enrol him in another school. But they refused,’’ she said.
As soon as she lodged the complaint, the five fled Erode. A special team was formed which was searching for them. The team intercepted a car near Perundurai on Wednesday morning and found the five inside, police said.