The main accused in the case of suspected human sacrifice in Kerala has been described by police as a “psychopath”, “sadist” and a “sexual pervert” who had earlier been arrested on the charge of raping a 75-year-old woman and attempting to slowly torture her to death with a knife.

Media reports from Kerala have also pointed to suspected cannibalism, which police have not ruled out. Kochi police commissioner C.H. Nagaraju on Wednesday told a media conference that Mohammed Shafi, an alleged black magic practitioner who had ensnared a couple in Pathanamthitta district through a fake social media profile offering “prosperity” to those with financial problems, was an accused in several cases of rape and theft.

“He is an accused in a rape case in Puthen Cruz where he raped a 75-year-old woman and attempted to murder her,” Nagaraju said, adding that Shafi had injured her in several parts of her body, including her genitals, with a knife. The body parts suspected to be those of Rosyln, 50, and Padma, 52, found in the backyard of Bagaval Singh and his wife Laila at Elanthoor in Pathanamthitta bear similar injury marks, the police said.

Shafi, Bagaval, a masseur, and Laila have been arrested. Shafi is suspected to have lured Thrissur native Rosyln, 50, who was reported missing in June, and Padma, a native of Tamil Nadu reported missing on September 26, with the offer of paying up to Rs 10 lakh for acting in a sleaze video.

Nagaraju said: “At least 10 cases have been registered against him (Shafi) in the last 15 years. Even these two victims have been injured in their private parts.” Bagaval and Laila are said to have confessed to having injuring Rosyln and Padma in their genitals on the instructions of Shafi.

Bhagaval Singh's wife Laila at Kochi court

A court in Kochi, where Shafi lives, on Wednesday remanded all three to 14 days’ judicial custody.

The police investigation has found that Shafi, a Class VI dropout, had run away from home when he was 16 and survived by doing odd jobs until he returned to Kochi several years later and got married. He has children.

“Basically he is a sexual pervert who enjoys sadistic pleasure by causing injury and death. That is the level of his perversion. He is a psychopath who enjoys sadistic pleasure for which he will spin any kind of story and trap anyone,” Nagaraju said.

While Malayalam media was rife with stories of suspected cannibalism by the trio, Nagaraju said more evidence was required to confirm that. The officer, however, said the investigation pointed to the possibility of cannibalism at least in the case of Roslyn.

The probe has revealed that Shafi had trapped Bagaval with a fake Facebook profile in the name of “Sreedevi”.

“The profile offered solutions to financial problems,” Nagaraju said.

Bagaval first got in touch with “Sreedevi” in 2019. The police commissioner said the inquiry would find out if Shafi had revealed his true identity to the couple. Some police sources had on Tuesday said Shafi, through the account named “Sreedevi”, had got Bagaval and Laila in touch with himself.

Shafi then started visiting the couple at their home in Pathanamthitta and made them believe that he could solve their financial woes through black magic.

“The couple had reached such a mental state that they started believing whatever he said since he is such a crafty person,” Nagaraju said.

Although the couple have no criminal history, Shafi is believed to have convinced them to be part of the human sacrifice plot for their financial well-being. They also appeared to have paid some money to Shafi for his services although it’s unclear how much.