LUCKNOW, May 28 -- The mystery surrounding the chilling blind murder case in Sitapur's Sandana area deepened after police identified the mutilated body recovered earlier this month as that of a Lucknow resident allegedly involved in occult practices and tantric rituals. The deceased has been identified as Satya Narayan Yadav, a resident of Nazar village under Malihabad police station limits in Lucknow district. Investigators said Yadav was known in the area for participating in exorcism-related activities, tantric practices and religious rituals, and was allegedly accused by some locals of duping people in the name of occult remedies. Sandana police station in-charge, Arvind Katiyar said the body was recovered on May 13 from thorny bushes near Siddheshwar temple on a mound outside Laxmanpur village under Sandana police station limits in Sitapur district. The brutal condition of the corpse had shocked investigators. Police sources said the victim's throat was nearly slit, the body bore deep cut injuries and at least 12 nails had been hammered into the hands and feet. According to investigators, the manner of killing has raised suspicions of a possible ritualistic execution. Police sources said two nails each were driven into both hands, while one foot had three nails and the other five. Officials believe the pattern of mutilation resembles methods associated with ritual sacrifice or occult practices. The identification has shifted a major part of the investigation towards Lucknow, particularly the Malihabad region, where the victim had been residing with his second wife and two children. Police teams from Sitapur and Lucknow are jointly investigating whether the murder was committed in Sitapur or if the body was transported there after killing elsewhere. Originally a resident of Jaunpur district, Satya Narayan had reportedly married twice. His first wife and three children continue to live in his native village, while he had been living separately in Malihabad with his second family. Family members told investigators that he often remained away from home for several days. Police said the breakthrough came after Malihabad police contacted Sitapur investigators regarding a missing person complaint filed on May 17 by the victim's son, Vijay Bhan Yadav. During verification, police found strong similarities linking the missing man to the unidentified body recovered in Sandana. Investigators suspect Satya Narayan went missing under suspicious circumstances on May 12 and that his body was dumped in the Sandana area shortly afterwards. Earlier, Sandana police had scanned missing persons records across multiple districts, including Lucknow, Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Shahjahanpur and Rae Bareli, but failed to establish the identity for several days....