Pathanamthitta: Mohammed Shafi, the prime accused in the Elanthoor human sacrifices case, was likely to target Bhagval Singh next, police said.

The police suspect that Shafi and Laila conspired to kill Bhagval Singh to live together. Bhagval Singh and his wife Laila are the second and third accused in the case respectively.

Ernakulam City Commissioner C H Nagaraju on Wednesday revealed Mohammed Shafi was a diabolic individual who found pleasure in inflicting wounds on women, especially on their private parts.

According to police, Shafi's intention was to take complete advantage of Bhagval's family. He managed, in just a year, to convince the couple of the need for human sacrifice for the rituals to yield positive results.

The car used for abducting one of the victims was purchased by Singh for Shafi. 

Shafi, a habitual offender

Shafi was a habitual offender who has been apprehended in many cases, including murder. He only got bail last year in a case where he brutally assaulted an elderly woman in 2020, the police said on Tuesday.

Shafi, who has only received formal education till Class 6, created a fake Facebook account under the name 'Sridevi' and posted pictures of flowers as his profile image. Shafi, disguised as Sridevi, managed to lure the second accused Bhagval Singh into his trap and maintained a relationship with him since 2018.

There are 10 cases pending against Shafi, who left home at the age of 16 and did all sorts of odd jobs across the state to survive, said Nagaraju.

The third accused Laila claims to be suffering from depression. But, confirmation regarding the same can only be made after subjecting her to medical examinations, said Nagaraju.

The Elanthoor couple committed the heinous murders in the human sacrifice case to bring about wealth and prosperity through black magic, while the two victims were murdered brutally, the police remand report said.

The court has remanded all three accused to two weeks of judicial custody.

Shafi and Bhagval were shifted to Kakkanad district jail and Laila to the women’s prison.

The accused were brought to the Kadavanthra police station by a team led by Ernakulam City Deputy Commissioner, and later to the court with their faces covered. Laila masked her face using her shawl. They were brought to Kochi early on Wednesday.