Lure of lucre drives Pudukkottaiman to sacrifice daughter, arrested

Thiruchirapalli

Police said that on May 18, P Vidya, a Class 8 student from Gandharvakottai, went to fetch water from a pond at RS Pathi forest area. As she failed to return home, her mother Indira (47), who searched in several places, was shocked to find the girl lying unconscious with neck injuries. Though Indira rushed her daughter to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, Vidya died the next day.

When Indira had found Vidya, she was partially disrobed. This prompted police to suspect that the girl could have been sexually assaulted but medical reports confirmed there was no assault.

Meanwhile, Pudukkottai SP Arun Sakthi Kumar formed six special teams for investigation and the needle of suspicion pointed at the girl’s father Panneer Selvam (55), more so because he kept contradicting his statements. After police intensified the interrogation, he confessed to killing his daughter as human sacrifice for good fortune as told by Vasanthi a sorceress.

Panneer Selvam told the police that he was in need of money and when he approached Vasanthi, she suggested that he sacrifice his youngest daughter in order to find a treasure. So, Panneer Selvam, along with his friend Kumar, kidnapped Vidya and strangled her to death. Police also arrested Kumar, Vasanthi and two of their associates.