Odisha man held for beheading neighbour in human sacrifice bid to win back wife

Police in Odisha's Balangir district have arrested a 40-year-old man for allegedly murdering a neighbour and severing his head as part of a purported human sacrifice ritual aimed at winning back his estranged wife.

The accused, Satrughan Sahu, a resident of Bagada village under Deogaon police station, was taken into custody after the headless body of Santosh Kharsel, 45, was recovered from a pond barely 20 metres from Sahu's house. The severed head was later found buried inside a pit in Sahu's room.

Kharsel, a native of Teparmunda village, had been reported missing by his brother-in-law on August 18. Police said Kharsel was last seen with Sahu, who allegedly brought him home that night and attacked him with an iron dagger before disposing of the body in the pond.

Northern Range Inspector General of Police Himanshu Lal said investigation revealed that Sahu had been consumed by the belief that only a human sacrifice could bring back his wife, who has been living at her maternal home in Patnagarh for the past 11 years. Their children were also staying away from him.

According to police, Sahu had been searching for a victim when he spotted Kharsel at a bus stand. Officials said Kharsel's family described him as being in a fragile mental state, which may have made him an easy target.

Superintendent of Police Abhilash G said police recovered the weapon, blood-stained clothes, and puja material from Sahu's house, along with blood samples on brass deities in front of which he had been offering prayers. The discovery of the preserved head, rather than a concealed one, shifted the investigation toward a ritual motive.

Sahu has reportedly given a confessional statement, and police are working to file a chargesheet within 60 days. While no involvement of others has been established, further investigation is underway. Neighbours described Sahu as a solitary man with little social interaction.