Believing that they could be brought back from death, in a gruesome case of human sacrifice, a couple in Madanapalle town of Chitoor district, Andhra Pradesh clubbed their two daughters to death on Sunday night.
The incident came to light on Sunday night when the father N Purushottam Naidu informed his colleague about the murders, who in turn contacted the police.
Padmaja, the accused mother used dumbbells to kill her two daughters -- the younger daughter Sai Divya (22) was first stabbed to death with a trishool and the older Alekhya (27) was clubbed with dumbbells. Husband, Naidu was also an accomplice in the murder with Padmaja.
Divisional Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ravi Manohara Chary said that the accused couple were found to be in a mentally disturbed condition.
During the investigation, the neighbours informed police that the parents often performed Pujas and one such type of ritual took place during the murder night as well.
On enquiring the couple about the incident, they said their daughters will come alive again after the sunrise -- as "kalyuga" will end and "satyuga" will start from Monday.
The police said that Naidu and wife Padmaja both work principles in college and school, respectively.
Alekhya, the elder daughter was enrolled in a post-graduate course in Bhopal and the younger one, Sridivya had studied BBA. She was also pursuing a course at the AR Rahman Music Academy.
The couple were behaving strangely during the coronavirus lockdown, particularly on Sunday nights, police informed.
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Neighbours after hearing strange unfamiliar noises and cries from the house have called the police and when they forced themselves into the house, they found one body in the puja room and another body lying in another room soaked in blood. The incident has left the town in shock.
The dead bodies have been sent for post-mortem and the couple are in police custody.