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.