A HUMAN SACRIFICE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 147, 22 June 1881, Page 1

A HUMAN SACRIFICE.

The 3tadras Times says : — A case of human sacrifice bss lately occurred in the Pdtna Feudatory State, which is situated in the Sambulpur division of the Central Provinces. Tbe chief of the Goods of «he Alardu group of villages was sitting by the side of a road during the last of tbe Dutsera festival, talking to his cncle, acbow-ii kidar, and a liquor seller. Presently a strolling minstrel sppeared on the scene, and salaamed to tbe chief, who; asked him if te drank liquor. The 1 minstrel replied that be did ; so the chief caused him t6 be served wjihi some todo'y which the party had with ' them. The Gond chief and the liquor- ! seller then went into the jungle ;; the j remainder of tbe perty stayed talking ' by the side of the road.. When the chief and the. liquor-aeller returned, the j latter went up to the minstrel, and, j seizing him by the hair, pulled him down. The Gond chief said to bis uncle, "Take your axe and cut tbe i minstrel's throat."- 'Accordingly the G liet'u uDcle.sat astride the minstrel's : cheet, and cut his throat with an axe, ; the Gond chief in the meantime holding ! a lota belonging to one of the party to 1 catch the blood which gushed out. The minstrel died at once, and the chowkidar and tha liquor-seller chopped up the body, and taking it a little way into the jungle, buried tbere; The whole party then proceeded to the temple. of the goddess D.uaHini, which they reached about 10 p.m. f lhe chief leaving the others outside, went in and - Yoke up the pojali r saying, "I have brought an - cfto ing of blo.qd / for , the goddess, do" you pour it oyeriheriimageV* The pujali at 'first refused, but afjieri. wards yielding, to the earnest £olic,Hatiooß of the chief, took the lota and, poured its contents over, the stone*image .o£ the goddess; : Seemg 1 .the, contents 'were blboa, he inquired" from " whenceit came. The ehiersaid it was . the blood. of a buffalo bull. He then' ■went: outside, and joining his 7 party they all returned horaol . About ten days after, the minstrel'srelativep, finding that he did ;not. return, gave inforinalion to jiha* police, and oa an investigation the cbowkidar confeased fully, and on his confession the chief) bis uncle, and tbe liquor-seller were brought to trial before the Commissioner of the Ohattisgurh division, and were sentenced by him to be hanged.