In a chilling crime from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, a property dealer allegedly killed and dismembered his 17-year-old nephew under the influence of a tantrik, police said on Thursday.
The accused, Sharan Singh, who has been facing financial losses and personal tragedies, confessed to the crime. His two children had earlier died by suicide, while his brother also passed away due to illness.
Singh allegedly kidnapped the boy on Tuesday morning while he was on his way to school. He gagged him, dragged him inside, and later chopped the body into parts while reciting mantras. The head, hands, and legs were wrapped in bedsheets and plastic bags to hide bloodstains. The hands and legs were dumped in a forest 10 km away, while the torso was discarded in a drain the following day.
CCTV footage caught Singh transporting the torso on his scooter, wrapped in red cloth. A woman grazing her buffalo spotted him dumping the remains and alerted locals, who informed the police. Officers reviewed footage from nearly 200 cameras before identifying Singh.