KOCHI: The Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate said that the double human sacrifice case is unprecedented in its cruelty and has shocked the social consciousness. The court added that such a crime has not been recorded in the recent past in the state.

The court made the statements while remanding the accused Mohammad Shafi (52), Bhagaval Singh (68), and his wife Laila (59) to 12 days in police custody for questioning.

The three accused will be produced in court on 24 October at 5 pm.

The court said that Facebook, mobile, YouTube, and other modern technology are used to spread strange beliefs and superstitions. This will be regressive to society. The court said that questioning in police custody is necessary to further investigate the twenty points that the police submitted in court.

The prosecution argued that an investigation must be done to find the money used for the black magic, the weapons used in the human sacrifices, and if there are other victims of Mohammad Shafi’s black magic practices. The prosecution also said that the public is in a state of panic after the news of the human sacrifice came out.

The court order also states that the accused must not be subjected to physical or mental torture, and must be taken for a medical checkup every three days. The report must be submitted to the court also.