Parents sacrifice sons to please Wealth God

Baripada, Jan 3 (UNI) In a ghastly act, two children were sacrificed by their parents to propitiate the God of wealth in Tilpal village near here.

Mono alias Harish (9) and his younger brother Lunga (7) were sacrificed at the altar of ''Tantra Sadhana'' by their parents -- Padmalochan Jnana(40) and Tuni Jnana (34) -- at Tilpal village under Makadapada Gram Panchayat of Kaptipada police station, about 55 km from here on Friday.

However, this grisly tale of human sacrifice came to light today when the police foiled the couple's plans to kill their five-month-old daughter in a bid to be blessed with wealth, police said.

Jagannath Tudu, a tribal tantrik of Bankati village, who performed the rituals in Padmalocha's house, was absconding.

The tantrik reportedly assured the parents that their two dead sons will come back to life as soon as they performed the third sacrifice of their youngest daughter.

Locals suspected something amiss when foul smell emitted from the house.

Kaptipada Police Inspector Nrusingha Swain and the OIC Pitabasa Swain swung into action, and arrested the couple, Surendra Behera (father-in-law of Padmalochan) and his spouse Alina Behera.

Police also rounded up four other daughters of Surendra for interrogation.

A case was registered under section 302 IPC at the Kaptipada police station against the accused.

UNI