Missing Usgao girl may be killed for black magic

Margao/Ponda: The search for a missing five-year-old girl from Tisk, Usgao, ended on Thursday evening when her body was discovered buried behind a neighbour’s house, metres away from her home. Police are treating the case as a suspected murder and were preparing to file charges late Thursday.

Police suspect the girl was killed as a part of a black magic ritual.

CCTV footage from the area showed the girl with a woman from the neighbourhood, leading police to focus on the woman and her husband.

“The couple was married for twenty-five years and was childless. We suspect the girl died in ritual murder carried out by the couple to enable them to conceive,” a police officer said.

A subsequent search revealed the child’s body buried behind their residence. The husband participated in the search alongside police and local residents. Both suspects are currently detained at Ponda police station for questioning. A large crowd was present outside their house until late Thursday.

The recovery of the body was delayed as authorities awaited the arrival of the forensic team and sub-divisional magistrate, whose presence is required as per procedure.

The investigation began on Wednesday when the child’s parents reported her missing, prompting police to file a kidnapping case and launch a search operation.

DySP Shivram Vaigankar, who is leading the investigation, told TOI that all possible angles are being probed in the case.

The couple is expected to be arrested once the formalities are completed.


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