Class 2 Boy Allegedly Sacrificed in UP for School's Growth; Five Arrested Including School Manager

A class 2 student in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras was allegedly sacrificed by the manager of a local school who reportedly believed that the ritual would promote the growth of the educational institution and bring prosperity to his family. The police have arrested the manager of the school along with four others in connection with this case.

The police have arrested Dinesh Baghel, the school manager; his father, Jasodan Singh; principal Laxman Singh; and teachers Ram Prakash Solanki and Veerpal. According to police, the 11-year-old student was taken from the school hostel to a nearby forest, where he was strangled during a black magic ritual.

The school authorities initially claimed that the boy had died from an illness, but a post-mortem examination revealed otherwise. The report indicated strangulation and severe trauma, including a broken collarbone, as well as signs of ritualistic practices, such as hair being cut from one side.

According to reports, this wasn’t the first attempt by the accused; they had previously tried to sacrifice another child on September 6 but were unsuccessful. On September 23, when the class 2 student began to cry during the abduction, the suspects reportedly strangled him to silence his pleas for help. They then placed his body in Baghel’s car, looking for a place to dispose of it.

The victim’s father was allegedly misled by school authorities, who told him that his son had fallen ill and was taken to a doctor. He eventually tracked down Baghel's vehicle and discovered his son's lifeless body.

Upon investigating further, the police found items related to black magic near the school, further indicating the involvement of occult practices. The accused have been charged with murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s Section 103 (1).​