priest and three others have been arrested for allegedly sacrificing an old woman to appease a tribal god in Jharkhand's Latehar district, police said.

Budhani Devi, 60, a resident of Khaira Jagir village, was abducted April 9 by Bhuneshwar Baiga, the priest, and his accomplices -- Balram Mistry, Basuwa Oraon and Mahendra Singh. "Prima facie, it appears the tribal priest instigated people to abduct Budhani and later she was sacrificed," a police official from the district told reporters.

Budhani's son Kundan Oraon, who set off to search for his mother, on Wednesday found his mother's clothings and bangles near a forest and enquired about her whereabouts from nearby villagers. When he discovered that she had been sacrificed by the four men to appease a local tribal God, Pasa Gamhel, he immediately informed the police and the accused were arrested.