Superstitious parents in Andhra's Chittoor district kill daughters in occult ritual

Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 25 : In a horrific incident, two young women were killed allegedly by their parents in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district, in what police said appeared to be a case linked to superstition.
Alekhya, 27 who was pursuing her postgraduation in Bhopal and her sister Sai Divya, 22, pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and learning music hailed from Madanapalle area of the district.
"N Purushottam Naidu is a Vice Principal of the government women degree college at Madanapalle and his wife Padmaja was the principal correspondent of a private educational institute. Their two daughters were both pursuing their studies. The family had shifted to their new house at Sivanagar in Ankisettipalle panchayat in August 2020," Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Ravimanohar Achari told ANI.
Giving further details the DSP said Purushottam and Padmaja were extremely superstitious and appeared to have practiced some occult rituals and also seemed to have psychological issues.
"On Sunday night, both the parents stabbed younger daughter Sai Divya with a trident, after performing rituals in the house. Later they kept a copper vessel in the mouth of elder daughter Alekhya and hit her with a dumbbell that claimed her life," the DSP said.
Purushottam had called up one of his colleagues and told him about what happened after which the police were informed.
The police said that there appeared to be no other conspiracy in these murders, except for the blind beliefs of the parents. The police have detained the parents and legal formalities are underway.