The bodies of four members of a family, who had been missing for the last four days, were found stacked on top of each other and buried in a pit in the backyard of their house in Kerala’s Idukki district on Wednesday.
Police identified the four as Krishnan, his wife Susheela, both in their 50s, their daughter Arsha (21) and son Arjun (19).
The bodies were found after the police dug up a pit in the compound of their house in Idukki district. The bodies bore injury marks, said an officer.
While the police suspect witchcraft, they are investigating the case from all angles. They have reportedly recovered a hammer and a knife from the house.
According to the police, the four could have been killed after July 29.
Neighbours said they had not seen the family for the last four days. The family lived in a secluded place in a rubber estate at Mundanmudi.
The neighbours and some relatives had gone to the house on Wednesday and found blood stains on the floor and walls, and immediately informed the police.
The police said a search in the backyard revealed loose soil. When they removed it, the four bodies, all bearing injuries, were found dumped on top of each other.
The bodies have been sent to Kottayam medical college for post-mortem.
(With agency inputs)