A youth was beheaded allegedly by mistake during a ritual where sheep were sacrificed at a village festival at Valasapalle hamlet near Madanapalle on Monday.
According to information, a huge gathering of villagers initiated ‘Kondachuttu’ (perambulation of a hillock) ritual on Sunday evening, which continued into midnight. The congregation later reached the temple of a village goddess on the outskirts to conduct the ritual of animal sacrifice.
A youth, identified as Talari Chalapati, reportedly in an inebriated condition, was sacrificing sheep one after the other on the temple premises. Another youth, identified as Suresh (25), was on his knees holding a sheep for slaughter when his turn came. However, Chalapati accidentally cut off the head of Suresh.
The victim’s traumatised family took Suresh to the government hospital at Madanapalle, where he was declared brought dead, with the head almost separated from torso.
The Madanapalle taluq police took Chalapati into custody and registered a case under Section 302 IPC.
The police said whether the act was intentional or accidental would be probed.
The deceased is survived by wife and two children.
