Cops recover headless body in pond. Find accused, missing head, and a chilling motive – 20 metres away

In Odisha's Balangir district, police recovered a headless body from a pond, only to find the accused, 40-year-old Satrughan Sahu, barely 20 meters away. The case turned out to be an alleged attempt at human sacrifice, carried out by Sahu in a bid to reunite with his estranged wife, who had been living at her parents' home for the past 11 years.

Sahu, who lived in Bagada village, arrested the victim, 45-year-old Santosh Kharsel, whose brother-in-law reported him missing on August 18. As police searched for Sahu, they learned that the two had been seen together earlier that day. Police Inspector General Himanshu Lal confirmed that Sahu attacked Kharsel with a dagger during the night, severed his head, and disposed of the body in a pond near his residence.

The severed head was later discovered buried in a pit inside Sahu's house. The police seized weapons and other items from the accused's home, including bloodstained clothes, which aided the investigation. Forensic experts found blood samples and puja materials that pointed towards a case of human sacrifice.

Balangir Superintendent of Police Abhilash G stated that Sahu had become obsessed with the idea that only a human sacrifice could bring his wife back. Police found evidence supporting Sahu's confessional statement and noted that the victim was in a poor mental state, making him an easy target. While the police did not rule out the involvement of others, further investigation is ongoing.