Overview

• Police filed an FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 103(1) for murder on ritual grounds after the decapitated body of 32-year-old Akhilesh Kushwaha was found near a temple in Vijaypur on July 6.
• Investigators recovered lemons, coconuts and salty snacks at the scene, items linked to narbali or human sacrifice rites.
• Sub-inspector Rashmi Jain identified the victim, who had left home for work but never returned, with his head and torso discovered separately on a religious platform.
• Madhya Pradesh police sent the remains for post-mortem and have widened the probe to include forensic analysis and local intelligence to trace those responsible.
• The case echoes previous black magic-motivated killings in India and highlights concerns over the revival of occult-inspired violence.