On July 24, a group of Saamidyas was alleged to have eaten human flesh during an annual festival in the Sakthi Pothi Sudalai Madasamy Temple. Fourteen individuals were questioned regarding the incident. Only eight people were arrested in relation to the consumption of human flesh and alleged grave robbing. The detained individuals are part of a community called “Samiyadi.”
*** Trigger Warning***
The video below contains graphic images.
The video above shows one of the Saamidya holding what appears to be a human head. The human head is skewered in a sword, with one of the Saamidya eating something.
The Saamidyas claimed that they know nothing about any human remains, adding that they can’t recall if they were eating anything since they were in a trance the whole time.
The investigation and eventual arrest happened after the village administrator filed a complaint to the local authorities. Local authorities expressed that they’re planning to file charges under Section 297 of the Indian Penal Code and for breaching social distancing protocols.
Section 297 of the Indian Penal Code criminalizes trespassing on any burial grounds. The Tenkasi Police are looking to investigate the possible grave robbing as the source of the human head staked in a sword being waved around by one of the Saamidya during the festival.
This is not the first time Saamidyas tried consuming human flesh. In 2019, the Saamidyas from the same temple brought back a severed human head and a hand. Saamidyas are also known to perform “corpse-hunting” as part of their ritual.
Saamidyas, also known as “god-men,” reside in Kallurani Village in the Tenkasi Tehsil, in Tamil Nadu, southern India. These “god-men” serve a priest-like role in the Sakthi Pothi Sudalai Madasamy Temple, entering a trance-like state as they claim to become possessed by gods. They also provide counseling for individuals who seek it while in trance.
