In a case of suspected human sacrifice, the body of Harshita (4), daughter of Thamanna, a daily-wage worker, and Anitha, hailing from Gowribidanur, was found near the Kudalahatti lake bund on Thursday. The girl’s severed finger was found in a graveyard close by.
Police said Anitha had come to her parents’ home in Hunasamaranahalli a, along with Harshita, for her the delivery of her second child and was living with them for the last five months. On Monday, around 11:30 am, Harshita was playing outside the house, and suddenly went missing. Her parents then filed a missing complaint with the Yelahanka police.
It is said that the previous day, some people who perform black magic, had approached Anitha and, on seeing Harshita, had commented that she was a lovely child. They also asked Anitha to give them some old clothes of the girl, but were sent away. On Thursday around 12:30 pm, a few passersby found the body of the girl on the lake bund, about a km from her grandparents’ residence, and informed the Chikkajala police, who have registered a case of murder. Police said the miscreants had murdered the girl by smashing her head with a stone, but have not ruled out the possibility of rape and have sent the body to Ambedkar hospital for autopsy. “As of now, it is a case of homicide and we are investigating,” said Chikkajala police.