VADODARA: A four-year-old girl was murdered by an alleged occultist on Monday in front of her mother in Chhota Udepur – a tribal dominated district in Gujarat.
The girl identified as Rita Tadvi died on the spot due to severe injuries on her head and throat. The police said that they have arrested Lalo Himmat Tadvi who hacked the girl to death.
“It seems to be a case of human sacrifice. Rita’s mother Jyoti Tadvi told us that after killing her daughter, Lalo took some blood and put it on the stairs of a small temple in his house. It all happened so quickly that Jyoti didn’t even get time to react,” said D S Vadher, police inspector, Bodeli police station.
According to the police, the incident occurred in Panej village of Bodeli taluka on Monday morning. Jyoti was walking across a lane near her house while Rita was right behind her. At around 8.30 am, Lalo, who is a neighbour of the deceased, came from behind and suddenly picked up the girl.
“Jyoti turned around and saw Lalo walking hurriedly with Rita towards his house. She screamed for help and also chased Lalo. Two of her neighbours heard her screams and joined her. Moments after reaching his home, Lalo took an axe and hit Rita on her head and throat. This happened right in front of a horrified Jyoti who watched her daughter being murdered,” Vadher told TOI.
Jyoti didn’t get time to even react and save her daughter. Lalo then went to another room and put Rita’s blood on the stairs of a small temple he made. The cops said that they are yet to ascertain why Lalo allegedly sacrificed the girl. “We are in the process of filing a complaint of murder and other relevant BNS sections against Lalo” Vadher added. The deceased’s father is a farm labourer in Panej village.