In an incident of suspected human sacrifice and black magic, three people were found dead in the premises of a temple in Korthikota of Tanakal in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. The three people – Shivarami Reddy who was looking after the temple, his sister Kamalamma, and another woman from the same village, Sathyalakshmi – were found with their throats slit in the under construction temple. 

On Monday morning, the local police found three dead bodies in the Shivalayam which is under construction, as the old temple in the village was demolished sometime back. 

Of the three victims, two were found lying on a cot, and on the ground, in a pool of blood. A  devotee who came to the temple in the morning found the dead bodies and informed the police. 

While the dead bodies were found right outside the temple, their blood was splattered over the Shivalingam inside the temple. 

Speaking to TNM, Kadiri Rural Circle Inspector Madhu said they’re also investigating whether the crime scene was arranged in such a way to throw off the probe. “We suspect that someone deliberately tried to influence the investigation by doing some suspicious things after the murders,” he said. 

Police suspect the three people were killed with sharp objects. A murder case has been registered and investigation is underway.

Kadiri DySP Srinivasulu said, “Unidentified persons have killed Shivarami Reddy by causing heavy injuries on his head, as per preliminary investigation. We have roped in the dog squad and clues teams, we will use all the clues to investigate the case from all possible angles."

An investigating officer also told TNM that they're looking into a “treasure hunt” angle given the abnormality of the crime scene.

In a similar case, a headless body was found in Nallamala forests of Kurnool district earlier this week raising suspicions about human sacrifice.