A 24-year-old man, believed to be suffering from hydrophobia, has been arrested by the police for allegedly killing an elderly woman and consuming her flesh. The accused has been admitted to a hospital for further evaluation and treatment, officials said on Saturday.
As per the police statement, eyewitnesses reported that the incident occurred in Saradhana village, under Sendra police station, on Friday. Shanti Devi (65) was grazing her cattle when the accused, Surendra Thakur, allegedly attacking her with a stone, resulting in her death.
According to doctors at Bangar Hospital, Thakur, a Mumbai resident, has been diagnosed with hydrophobia, which is a fear of water resulting from an advanced stage of rabies infection. It is suspected that Thakur may have been bitten by a rabid dog in the past and did not receive appropriate treatment.
”The accused is behaving like a mentally sick patient and in an aggressive manner. We have admitted him to the hospital where his medical examination is going on. Even in the hospital, he created a ruckus, after which he was tied up by the nursing staff on a bed,” Jaitaran Deputy Superintendent of Police Sukhram Bishnoi said.
The police stated that the accused had arrived in Sendra from Mumbai on a bus, which was verified through a bus ticket found in his possession.
Following the incident, Shanti Devi’s son, Biren Kathat, filed a police complaint, accusing the accused of murdering his mother and consuming her flesh. The police have booked Thakur under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for murder and have also charged him with cannibalism.
”I was returning after grazing goats when I saw the man who was eating the flesh of the deceased woman. I got scared and ran from the spot,” witness Kathat said, adding he also saw the blood-stained face of the accused.
At first, the local residents were frightened upon encountering the accused. However, when he attempted to flee, they pursued and apprehended him before handing him over to the police.
”A patient has been admitted at Bangar Hospital who is suffering from hydrophobia. It is possible that a rabid dog might have bitten him in the past. He might not have got vaccinated and because of this, he developed hydrophobia or rabies,” Dr Praveen said.
Meanwhile, the police handed over the body of the woman to the family members after autopsy.
The incident comes months after the Kerala human sacrifice case which sent shockwaves around the country last year.
According to the police, a shocking incident took place in Elanthoor village of Pathanamthitta district, where two women were sacrificed in October, 2022. It is suspected that their body parts were cooked and consumed by a couple, Bhagaval Singh and his wife Laila, who were lured with the false promise of attaining wealth by a self-proclaimed sorcerer named Muhammad Shafi.
All three individuals involved in the conspiracy, including Muhammad Shafi and the couple, Bhagaval Singh and Laila, have been arrested by the authorities.
(With inputs from PTI)
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