News Analysis India

Tag: Black Magic

  • Teen from Maharashtra dies after witch doctor beats him to expel ‘demon’

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A 14-year-old ailing boy from Maharashtra’s Sangli district died allegedly after he was severely beaten up by a witch doctor, who claimed that the teenager was possessed, an official said on Tuesday.

    Aryan Deepak Landge, who lived in Kavathe Mahankal of the district, died of injuries on May 20 but the incident came to light after anti-superstition activists approached the police, he said.

    As per the complaint by activists from Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti, an organisation that works towards eradicating superstitions and blind faith, Landge had a fever for many days and there was no relief despite treatment.

    His family took him to a ‘mantrik’ (witch doctor), Appasaheb Kamble, at Shirgur in neighbouring Karnataka, the official said.

    Kamble claimed that the boy was possessed by a ‘demon’ and he would need to ‘drive it away’ by beating up Landge.

    However, the boy sustained serious injuries due to the beating, prompting his family to rush him to a hospital in Miraj in Sangli district, about 40 km from Shirgur.

    He died during treatment, the official said.

    After learning about Landge’s death, activists from Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti met his family members and then assistant police inspector Jitendra Shahane at Kavathe Mahankal police station to lodge a complaint.

    As there is no anti-superstition legislation in Karnataka, the official said, police registered a Zero FIR under Indian Penal Code section 304 (causing death by negligence) against the witch doctor.

    A Zero FIR (first information report) allows any police to accept a complaint and forward it to the appropriate station for action.

    The case will now be probed by the Karnataka police, he added.

    MUMBAI: A 14-year-old ailing boy from Maharashtra’s Sangli district died allegedly after he was severely beaten up by a witch doctor, who claimed that the teenager was possessed, an official said on Tuesday.

    Aryan Deepak Landge, who lived in Kavathe Mahankal of the district, died of injuries on May 20 but the incident came to light after anti-superstition activists approached the police, he said.

    As per the complaint by activists from Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti, an organisation that works towards eradicating superstitions and blind faith, Landge had a fever for many days and there was no relief despite treatment.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    His family took him to a ‘mantrik’ (witch doctor), Appasaheb Kamble, at Shirgur in neighbouring Karnataka, the official said.

    Kamble claimed that the boy was possessed by a ‘demon’ and he would need to ‘drive it away’ by beating up Landge.

    However, the boy sustained serious injuries due to the beating, prompting his family to rush him to a hospital in Miraj in Sangli district, about 40 km from Shirgur.

    He died during treatment, the official said.

    After learning about Landge’s death, activists from Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti met his family members and then assistant police inspector Jitendra Shahane at Kavathe Mahankal police station to lodge a complaint.

    As there is no anti-superstition legislation in Karnataka, the official said, police registered a Zero FIR under Indian Penal Code section 304 (causing death by negligence) against the witch doctor.

    A Zero FIR (first information report) allows any police to accept a complaint and forward it to the appropriate station for action.

    The case will now be probed by the Karnataka police, he added.

  • Six of family, including four children, found dead in Rajasthan

    By PTI

    UDAIPUR: A couple and their four children were found dead at their residence in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district on Monday, police said.

    Prima facie it appears that the family head, Prakash alias Pappu Gameti, strangulated his wife and their children before dying by suicide at their home in Jhadoli village, said Superintendent of Police, Udaipur, Vikas Sharma.

    The incident came to light on Monday morning when Prakash’s brother went to his house.

    He informed the family’s neighbours and the police were called in, officials said.

    The bodies of Prakash and his three sons — Ganesh (5), Pushkar (4) and Roshan (2) — were found hanging from the ceiling of the house, while those of his wife Durga and four-month-old son Gangaram were lying on a bed, the police said.

    Prakash used to work in Gujarat and had returned to Udaipur some time back.

    His financial condition was not good, the police said, adding that his father had also died by suicide in the past.

    Police sources said Prakash used to do petty work and was mentally disturbed for the past three-four months.

    He used to frequently visit an exorcist as he believed that he was facing problems in life due to evil spirits, they said.

    UDAIPUR: A couple and their four children were found dead at their residence in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district on Monday, police said.

    Prima facie it appears that the family head, Prakash alias Pappu Gameti, strangulated his wife and their children before dying by suicide at their home in Jhadoli village, said Superintendent of Police, Udaipur, Vikas Sharma.

    The incident came to light on Monday morning when Prakash’s brother went to his house.

    He informed the family’s neighbours and the police were called in, officials said.

    The bodies of Prakash and his three sons — Ganesh (5), Pushkar (4) and Roshan (2) — were found hanging from the ceiling of the house, while those of his wife Durga and four-month-old son Gangaram were lying on a bed, the police said.

    Prakash used to work in Gujarat and had returned to Udaipur some time back.

    His financial condition was not good, the police said, adding that his father had also died by suicide in the past.

    Police sources said Prakash used to do petty work and was mentally disturbed for the past three-four months.

    He used to frequently visit an exorcist as he believed that he was facing problems in life due to evil spirits, they said.

  • Black magic can’t end your bad days, PM taunts Congress over price rise stir

    By PTI

    PANIPAT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a fresh broadside against Congress, terming its “black cloth” protest against price rise as ‘black magic’ that will not be able to win them the confidence of people again.

    After dedicating to the nation the Rs 900 crore-second generation ethanol plant at Panipat, Modi also said that freebies are a spoke in India’s effort to become self-reliant and also a burden on taxpayers.

    Without naming Congress, he said some people out of frustration resorted to black magic on August 5. “On August 5, we saw how some people tried to spread ‘black magic’. These people think that by wearing black clothes they can end their despondency. But they do not know that by engaging in witchcraft, black magic and superstition, they cannot earn the trust of people again,” Modi said.

    ALSO READ | ‘Democracy is dead in India’: Congress leaders choose black outfits to protest against price rise

    The Congress protested against price rise by wearing black clothes in Parliament and outside as part of a nationwide protest on August 5. “Some people think wearing black cloths can ward off their pessimism and negativity but they don’t know that they can resort to any such tactics but can’t win back people’s confidence,” he said.

    In an apparent reference to the Congress, Modi also said that “black magic cannot end your bad days”.

    The prime minister also attacked certain opposition parties for engaging in politics of freebies, saying such things would only do a disservice to the nation as it hampers investment in new technology. He said that if there is selfishness in politics, then anybody can even promise free petrol and diesel.

    “Such steps will amount to depriving our children of their due and prevent the country from becoming self sufficient. Such selfish policies will put more burden on honest tax payers of the country,” Modi said Those who promise freebies will never will able to find resources for investment in new technologies, he said.

    “This is not a right policy but misleading one; this is not in national interest but it is against the nation; this is not nation building but an effort to push back the country.”

    PANIPAT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a fresh broadside against Congress, terming its “black cloth” protest against price rise as ‘black magic’ that will not be able to win them the confidence of people again.

    After dedicating to the nation the Rs 900 crore-second generation ethanol plant at Panipat, Modi also said that freebies are a spoke in India’s effort to become self-reliant and also a burden on taxpayers.

    Without naming Congress, he said some people out of frustration resorted to black magic on August 5. “On August 5, we saw how some people tried to spread ‘black magic’. These people think that by wearing black clothes they can end their despondency. But they do not know that by engaging in witchcraft, black magic and superstition, they cannot earn the trust of people again,” Modi said.

    ALSO READ | ‘Democracy is dead in India’: Congress leaders choose black outfits to protest against price rise

    The Congress protested against price rise by wearing black clothes in Parliament and outside as part of a nationwide protest on August 5. “Some people think wearing black cloths can ward off their pessimism and negativity but they don’t know that they can resort to any such tactics but can’t win back people’s confidence,” he said.

    In an apparent reference to the Congress, Modi also said that “black magic cannot end your bad days”.

    The prime minister also attacked certain opposition parties for engaging in politics of freebies, saying such things would only do a disservice to the nation as it hampers investment in new technology. He said that if there is selfishness in politics, then anybody can even promise free petrol and diesel.

    “Such steps will amount to depriving our children of their due and prevent the country from becoming self sufficient. Such selfish policies will put more burden on honest tax payers of the country,” Modi said Those who promise freebies will never will able to find resources for investment in new technologies, he said.

    “This is not a right policy but misleading one; this is not in national interest but it is against the nation; this is not nation building but an effort to push back the country.”

  • MP: Man beheads uncle over black magic suspicion, walks on street with severed head in hand

    By PTI

    SIDHI: A man allegedly beheaded his 60-year-old maternal uncle over black magic suspicion and walked around two kilometers with his severed head and axe in hands in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh before being nabbed by the police, an official said on Saturday.

    The incident occurred on Friday in Karimati village located in the jurisdiction of Jamodi police station, around 10 kms from the district headquarters, he said, adding that the 26-year-old accused suspected his uncle to be creating problems for him by performing black magic on him.

    Jamodi police station in-charge Sheshmani Mishra said that the accused, Lalbahadur Gaud, went to his maternal uncle Maksudan Singh Gaud’s house on Friday and hit him on the neck with an axe following an argument.

    “The attack was so intense that his uncle’s head got severed from the body,” he said.

    Mishra said that after the killing, the accused started walking towards to the police station by holding the severed head and the axe in his hands, but the cops arrested him midway after being alerted.

    The accused said his uncle was creating problems for him through black magic and that he had asked him many times not to do so.

    However, his uncle was not ready to relent, the official said quoting the accused.

    After he reached his uncle’s house on Friday, both of them entered into an argument, following which the accused attacked him in a fit of rage, he said.

    Mishra said the accused was arrested for murder and investigation into the case is on.

  • SC refuses to entertain plea for directions to curb black magic, forced religious conversions

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday said persons above 18 years of age are free to choose their religion as it refused to entertain a plea seeking directions to the Centre and states to control black magic and religious conversion.

    A bench of Justices RF Nariman, B R Gavai and Hrishikesh Roy told senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayana, appearing for petitioner advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, “What kind of writ petition is this under Article 32. We will impose a heavy cost on you. You argue on your own risk”.

    The bench said there is no reason why a person above 18 can’t be allowed to choose his religion.

    It further told Sankaranarayana, “there is a reason why the word propagate is there in the Constitution”.

    Sankaranarayanan then sought liberty to withdraw the petition and permission to make representation to the government and the law commission.

    The bench also refused to grant permission to a representation to the law commission and said, “no we can’t grant you this permission”.

    It dismissed the petition as withdrawn.

    The plea filed by Upadhyay has also sought directions to ascertain the feasibility of appointing a committee to enact a Conversion of Religion Act to check the “abuse of religion”.

    “Religious conversion by ‘carrot and stick’ and by ‘hook or crook’ not only offends Articles 14, 21, 25, but is also against the principles of secularism, which is an integral part of the basic structure of the Constitution.”

    “Petitioner states with dismay that the Centre and States have failed to control the menace of black magic, superstition and deceitful religious conversion, though it is their duty under Article 51A,” said the plea filed through advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey.

    Alleging that the government has failed to take any concrete action against them, the plea said the Centre may enact a law with minimum imprisonment of 3 years that may extend up to 10 years and a hefty fine may be imposed.

  • PIL in SC seeks clamp on black magic and superstitions

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Seeking directions to the Centre and state to control black magic and other superstitions, a PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court, stating that these practices need to be put under check for religious conversions through gifts and monetary benefits. 

    The plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay has also sought directions to ascertain the feasibility of appointing a committee to enact a Conversion of Religion Act to check the abuse of religion.

    “Religious conversion by ‘carrot and stick’ and by ‘hook or crook’ not only offends Articles 14, 21, 25, but is also against the principles of secularism, which is integral part of basic structure of Constitution.”

    “Petitioner states with dismay that the Centre and States have failed to control the menace of black magic, superstition and deceitful religious conversion, though it’s their duty under Article 51A,” said the plea filed through advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey.

    Alleging that the government has failed to take any concrete action against the menaces of the society, the plea said the Centre may enact a law with minimum imprisonment of 3 years that may extend up to 10 years and a hefty fine may be imposed.

    Additionally, the Centre may empower the National Human Rights Commission to deal with the affairs of religious groups and keep a check by carrying out an in-depth analysis of religious discrimination among them, it said.

    The PIL has also sought directions to the Law Commission of India to prepare a Report on Black Magic, Superstition and Religious Conversion within three months.

    “Petitioner submits that the population explosion and the religious conversion by “the carrot and the stick” is a national problem hence Centre must enact a strong and effective population control law and anti conversion law on top priority.

    “Due to population explosion and deceitful religious conversion, Hindus have become minority in nine States and UTs and the situation is worsening day by day,” the plea said.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Five of family axed to death on suspicion of sorcery in Jharkhand

    Express News Service
    RANCHI: Five members of a family were axed to death by their relatives at Kuruhatu-Amtoli under Kamdara Police Station in Gumla on suspicion of practising black magic. 

    Though the incident took place on Tuesday night, it came to light on Friday. The investigation into the matter is being conducted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

    According to police, the massacre was carried out following a decision by the villagers. The villagers found that people are frequently falling ill and dying during the past few weeks. They believed that the tragic incidents happened due to sorcery being practised by Nikodine Topno, 58, and his wife Josephina Dahanga, 55.

    “After examining the evidence closely and taking all aspects into consideration, it was revealed to be a case of witch-hunting. During investigations, it was also found that after a few instances of death and sickness, the villagers came to a conclusion that it was a repercussion of witchcraft being practised by the couple,” said Gumla SP Hurdeep P Janardhanan. A meeting was organized by the villagers in a football ground on Tuesday morning and a decision was taken to finish the couple as they were the only reason behind the sufferings of the people, he added.

    “On Tuesday night, eight villagers assembled near the couple’s house after consuming alcohol and hacked Nikodine and his wife Josephina to death with sharp weapons,” said the SP. They also killed the rest of the family members to remove the eyewitnesses, he added.

    “The couple’s son Vincent Topno, 32, daughter-in-law Silvanti Topno, 30, and five-year-old grandson Albine Topno were also hacked to death,” said the SP. All the eight accused have been arrested and confessed to the crime. The weapons used have also been recovered, he added.

    The SP further said that a total of 13 FIRs have been lodged under relevant sections of IPC at Kamdara Police Station. The cops are also identifying others involved in the crime, he said.

  • Pregnant Maharashtra woman subjected to rituals dies; husband booked

    By PTI
    PUNE: A man has been booked along with four others, including his parents, after his 23-year-old pregnant wife died as they refused to take her to a hospital and preferred to carry out exorcism rituals, police in Pune said on Monday.

    The incident took place in Shilim in Lonavala on February 10 and a case was registered under sections of IPC and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, an official said.

    “Dipali Bidkar was 8 months pregnant and started having labour pains on February 10. However, her husband Mahesh Bidkar, his parents, brother and brother’s wife, did not take her to hospital and instead performed some rituals at home,” A Lonavala rural police station official said.

    While Dipali’s kin insisted that she be taken to a hospital, her husband and his relatives claimed she was under a spell and needed to be exorcised by a godman, the official added.

    Dipali’s kin later rushed her to a hospital but she and her newborn died, he added.

    After they approached the Andhashradhha Nirmulan Samiti, a case was registered, he said.