Police bring accused to Elanthoor for evidence collection, cadaver dogs deployed for search

Pathanamthitta: The police team probing the Elanthoor human sacrifice case in Kerala on Saturday conducted a search on the premises of the house of the accused couple Bhagval Singh and Laila. The search was conducted as part of the investigation to find out if the accused had committed more murders.

Two cadaver dogs – Maya and Murphy – trained to pick up the scent of human remains were deployed for the search. The police team were digging up a spot where one of the dogs led them. The police took the prime accused Mohammed Shafi and Bhagaval Singh to the spot.

Mohammed Shafi (52), Bhagval Singh (68), a massage therapist and his wife Laila (59) were arrested on Tuesday after the bodies of two missing women -- Padmam and Rosly -- were found from the premise of Bhagval Singh and Laila's house at Elanthoor. Only the bones of Rosly were found, while the body of Padma was found cut into 56 pieces.

The forensic team was also conducting a detailed examination inside the house of Bhagval Singh.

Local people thronged the place as the police took the accused to the crime spot for evidence collection.

The police were on Thursday granted 12-day custody of the prime accused Mohammed Shafi (52), Bhagval Singh (68), a massage therapist and his wife Laila (59).

"The accused conspired to conduct the human sacrifice with an intention to bring prosperity in the life of the second and third accused by pleasing the goddess in favour of Singh and his wife Laila," the remand report had said.

The chopped body parts of the deceased were exhumed from the premises of the couple's house at Elanthoor village in Pathanamthitta on Wednesday. Padmam went missing on September 26 and the probe led to Shafi. On further interrogating him, police found the trio had earlier murdered Rosly in a similar manner in June.