Selvaraj and Palaniamma at Palaniamma's house in Kathrikadavu, Ernakulam 
Kerala

Kerala human sacrifice: Victim’s family awaits closure as remains yet to be handed over

Ever since her death was confirmed, members of Padmam’s family have not gone to work, as their faith forbids them from working during the period of mourning before the final rites are performed.

Written by : Maria Teresa Raju

A month after the second victim of the human sacrifice in Kerala went missing, her family still awaits her mortal remains. The body of Padmam, a 52-year-old lottery seller from Ernakulam’s Kadavanthra, was exhumed in 56 parts from Elanthoor in Pathanamthitta on October 11. However, the remains have not been handed over to her kin as detailed forensic analysis and DNA tests, which form crucial evidence in the case, are yet to be completed.

As the forensic tests make slow progress, Padmam’s son Selvaraj (28), her sister Palaniamma (42) and their close relatives have not been able to go to work for a month now. When TNM visited them at Palaniamma’s rented home in Ernakulam’s Kathrikadavu, they spoke about the grave tragedy that struck their family and about their lives in its aftermath. While initially they were trying to locate Padmam with the help of the police in the hope that she was alive somewhere, the family has been living in limbo ever since her death was confirmed. Palaniamma said that their faith forbids them from working during the period of mourning before the final rites of a family member are performed.

An employee in an IT firm in Chennai, Selvaraj came to Kerala on September 28, a day after his mother went missing. He took leave saying that his mother was facing health issues. Later, when the murder came to light in October, he applied for further leave after informing the company that his mother had passed away. “I haven’t told my manager the details, including the fact that it was a murder,” he said. Selvaraj faces constant pressure from his manager to return to work. “I can't extend my leave endlessly, my job is on the line,” he said. Selvaraj’s wedding, which was to take place this year, has also been put off for a year until the mourning is over.

It is not just Selvaraj and Palaniamma whose lives have come to a standstill. Their relatives in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, where Padmam hailed from, are also awaiting the handover of her remains. Selvaraj’s elder brother Settu, who works as a teacher, is the only person who goes to work now. “He is forced to go as he will lose his job otherwise. As we are breaking tradition, our relatives back home take great care in dropping him to work and bringing him back every day. We do not want anything untoward to happen before my sister’s final rites are performed,” Palaniamma said.

While the family managed the past month’s expenses with their savings, the seemingly endless wait makes them worry. “This month, we didn’t face financial issues. But if we all don’t go back to work soon, we will struggle to survive. In my case, matters will be worse as I might lose my job,” Selvaraj said.

The family had written to both Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, requesting that Padmam’s remains be handed over to them at the earliest. They said that they have not received any direct communication from the two offices, but Kochi Police Commissioner CH Nagaraju has informed them that their request letter has been forwarded to the police. Both Selvaraj and Palaniamma said that the police have been considerate towards them throughout the various stages of investigation. “Blood samples were taken from us on October 13. We visit the police once every three days. The police are doing their part, but no definitive date has been given to us,” Selvaraj said.

Selena, Palaniamma’s neighbour, who accompanied them to the Commissioner’s office earlier this week, said that the police had explained to them the processes involved in forensic analysis that are causing the delay. “They told us that the various body parts need to be laid together and further tests done. Each of the 56 parts need to be tested to confirm that they belong to Padmam,” she said.

Despite the police investigation unequivocally stating that Padmam was one of the two victims of the gruesome crime in Elanthoor, Palaniamma and Selvaraj find it difficult to find closure. “We saw her body being exhumed and we believe there is other evidence that proves that she was the one killed. Yet, not being able to see her face or her body makes it difficult for us to accept that she is no more. Had the body been found as one whole and not in several pieces, this ordeal would have been slightly more bearable for us,” Palaniamma said.

She added that she is not able to let go of the hope that her sister is alive and safe somewhere, and will return to them one of these days. “Black magic and human sacrifice are all things we know only through films. It is unbelievable that such a tragedy happened to our family. At least performing her last rites with the body parts, even though they are beyond recognition, might help us accept reality,” she hoped.

Back home in Dharmapuri, Settu has two young daughters. Palaniamma said that the children do not know the gravity of the tragedy. “They look at a picture of their grandmother put up in the house and say that she has gone to be with saami. How can we expect them to understand any of this?”she asked.

Selvaraj recalled that Padmam came to Kerala in search of work 15 years ago. “Both my parents used to work here. My brother and I would visit them here during school and college vacations. They toiled to give us a good education,” he said. He studied MSc in IT in a college in Coimbatore. Padmam used to do manual labour and domestic work while her health permitted. She went to Dharmapuri with her husband in 2021 to take care of their grandchildren. When she returned to Ernakulam six months back, her husband did not accompany her as his poor health does not allow him to do hard labour anymore. Padmam too took up lottery sales on account of her poor health that made manual labour difficult.

Padmam’s murder has made life as a migrant labourer in Kerala scary, Palaniamma said. “We all gather at various junctions or major locations in the city in the morning. People or contractors who want labourers come there and take us to work. Sometimes we know the person, but on occasion we are engaged by strangers too. Then we insist that we will come only if at least two of us are hired,” she said. With Padmam’s death, trusting strangers who come to hire them for work has become extremely difficult, she added.

Neither Palaniamma nor Selvaraj had seen or heard of Shafi, the accused in the human sacrifice case, before the crime came to light. Palaniamma said that even though Shafi’s wife later claimed that Padmam had been to their hotel in Ernakulam, she had no knowledge of it. “We want all three accused to be punished,” she said.

Padmam went missing from Kadavanthra in Ernakulam on September 26. The police investigation into the missing case filed by her family had unearthed a gruesome crime involving ritualistic human sacrifice. It was found that another woman Rosily (49) was killed in June this year. Police arrested Shafi (52) and the couple Bhagval Singh (68) and Laila (59) earlier this month.