Indian priest who admits killing man at temple claims goddess told him to perform human sacrifice to 'end COVID epidemic'

Indian priest who admits killing man at temple claims goddess told him to perform human sacrifice to 'end COVID epidemic'

An elderly priest in eastern India claimed he performed a human sacrifice to ward off COIVD-19 virus.

Sansari Ojha, the 70-year-old priest seen seated in red robes in the video, went to the police station at Narasinghpur and said he had killed a man inside the Brahmani Devi temple premise where he worked.

When the police went and checked they found the decapitated body a 52-year-old man, who was identified as Saroj Kumar Pradhan, a local resident.

A senior police officer, Alok Ranjan Ray, said: "Ojha claims a goddess came in his dream and asked him to perform a human sacrifice to end the COVID-19 pandemic." Police, however, say the accused and the deceased had a long-standing dispute with over a mango orchard, which may have contributed to the motive.

Police are continuing to investigate the crime.