In a chilling incident, a 12-year-old girl was brutally murdered in Jharkhand’s Godda district after her throat was slit and her head severed, officials said on Thursday.

A wave of shock swept through the area on Thursday morning after her headless body was discovered in a field in Dahua village, under the jurisdiction of the Lalamatia police station. As information about the incident spread, a crowd of villagers gathered at the scene.

Upon receiving the information, the police arrived and recovered the girl’s torso, though her severed head has yet to be found, officials said.

According to villagers, the crime was committed late Wednesday night. Like any other night, the girl had been sleeping at home with her parents. However, when the family woke up in the morning and found her missing from her bed, they began searching for her.

Shortly thereafter, they received word that her body had been discovered in a field in the village. The family remains baffled as to when, how, or under what suspicious circumstances the girl left, or was taken from, the house in the middle of the night.

Recognising the gravity of the situation, the Lalamatia police arrived promptly with a team. They immediately cordoned off the area and began collecting forensic evidence. The gruesome nature of the murder has sparked concern among the villagers.

Locals have suggested that the brutal killing might be linked to occult practices, human sacrifice, or some form of superstition.

The police, however, state that the actual motive behind the murder remains unclear. They are conducting a thorough investigation, exploring all possible angles, including technical analysis, forensic examination, and potential personal or family vendettas.

Following this harrowing incident, an atmosphere of intense panic, fear, and outrage prevails in Dahua village and the entire surrounding area.

The enraged villagers have demanded that the police administration arrest those involved in this crime as soon as possible.

Investigation is underway, and further details are awaited.

The Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government has earmarked Rs 812 crore to provide eight-gram gold coins and pure silk sarees to 60,000 eligible brides during the 2026-27 financial year under the Annan Seer Thittam, reviving gold-based marriage assistance with revised eligibility conditions and quality standards.

The initiative marks the return of gold coin distribution under the state’s marriage assistance programme, which had witnessed prolonged disruptions and policy changes under successive governments.

According to tender documents issued by the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department, approximately Rs 1.35 lakh has been allocated for each beneficiary towards purchasing an eight-gram gold coin and a silk saree.

The government has prescribed stringent specifications to ensure the quality of the materials distributed.

Gold coins must have 916 purity and comply with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) hallmarking requirements.

Each coin will carry the Tamil Nadu government emblem on one side, while the reverse will display its weight, purity and hallmarking details.

The silk sarees must be manufactured using 100 per cent pure mulberry silk yarn, with a minimum silk content of 380 grams.

Each saree must measure 6.2 metres, including blouse material, and weigh 430 grams. This includes 380 grams of silk and 50 grams of half-fine zari. Polyester-based zari will be permitted only for decorative work along the borders, pallu and butta designs. Both sides must feature zari borders measuring 1.5 centimetres.

Under the eligibility criteria, the bride’s family should have an annual income not exceeding Rs 2.5 lakh. Applicants must belong to Tamil Nadu, and the marriage must take place within the state.

The Annan Seer Scheme replaces the earlier Thalikku Thangam programme introduced during the AIADMK administration, which offered eight grams of gold along with financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to eligible women.

The previous programme experienced implementation difficulties between 2016 and 2019, followed by mounting application backlogs in 2020 and disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

After assuming office in 2021, the DMK government processed pending applications but discontinued fresh registrations.

In September 2022, the administration introduced the Pudhumai Pen Scheme, providing monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000 to eligible girl students pursuing higher education.

The revived marriage assistance programme now seeks to extend direct support to economically disadvantaged families while ensuring standardised quality in the distribution of gold coins and silk sarees.

AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday invoked the victory of Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed in the US, to call for building a Muslim political identity in Uttar Pradesh, saying an Abdul will now become a leader in the state.

“An ‘Abdul’ has won in Michigan; now, the ‘Abdul’ of Uttar Pradesh must strengthen his own political identity,” Owaisi posted on X.

He was reacting to the mid-term election results in the United States where Abdul El-Sayed won the Michigan Senate race to become the first Muslim US senator.

The Hyderabad MP said ‘Sanghis’ made many attempts to make mockery of the name “Abdul”.

“The time has come for us to demonstrate that ‘Abdul’ bows in servitude to no one but Allah. We will no longer be the ones laying out carpets for others,” he said.

Owaisi also spoke on the issue during an interaction with the media at his party’s headquarters Darussalam here.

“BJP used to say ‘Abdul makes puncture’. We are saying Abdul will now become leader. He will not lay carpets nor be scared of the RSS nor bow before anybody. Abdul will do his job and become a leader,” he said.

Owaisi slammed the BJP government at the Centre for telling the Delhi High Court that the century-old Qadeemi Masjid, located within the Krishi Bhawan compound in New Delhi, must be removed to make way for the redevelopment of Common Central Secretariat (CCS) under the Central Vista project.

The MP stated that when the construction of Lutyens’ Delhi started in 1908, several villages were acquired but these mosques were not acquired.

“This mosque is a part of cultural and historical heritage of the country. It was built even before Krishi Bhavan. This is registered Waqf. The government is not its owner,” he said.

The MP said Union Minorities Welfare Minister Kiren Rijiju should tell these people that the government is not the owner. He said the mosque existed even before Delhi became the national Capital and the Constitution of India was framed.

“If you want to contest that this is government property, go to the Waqf tribunal and argue there. What do you want to do. It is registered Waqf. There is gazette. You are saying it is the property of Krishi Bhavan. It’s not the property of Krishi Bhavan,” he said.

He slammed the Centre for its argument that the mosque is “impermissible and incompatible with the secular character of government property”.

“Is this your secularism that you want to demolish a registered Waqf property which enjoys legal protection,” he asked.

Owaisi recalled that the Modi government inaugurated the Central Vista project with a Bhoomi Pooja. “Apparently, secularism is not offended by the use of one faith’s rituals for a public project, but is allergic to a mosque that has stood there even before 1912, long before Krishi Bhawan was even built,” he said.

“What will Amit Shah say now,” asked Owaisi when his reaction was sought on Hyderabad District Election Officer R.V. Karnan’s statement that no illegal immigrants were found in Hyderabad’s electoral rolls.

He recalled the statements of BJP leaders that surgical strikes will be conducted on Hyderabad.

He said that the poor suffered a lot because of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

Owaisi said AIMIM helped all eligible voters, irrespective of their religion, during the SIR process.