Six ‘tantriks’ held for killing 58-yr-old woman

Suspecting wife of being possessed by evil spirit, the husband had called ‘tantriks’ to carry out treatment.

Bankura district police on Sunday arrested six persons — identifying themselves as ‘tantriks’ — for allegedly killing a woman during their ‘treatment’ to ward off the evil spirit which they claimed had possessed the 58-year-old.

A resident of Galia village, Shivani Biswas, according to her son Sanjay, was unwell for the past few days. Suspecting her of being “possessed by an evil spirit”, the woman’s husband, Bibhuti Biswas, called the ‘tantriks’ to carry out the “treatment”.

On Saturday, the six men arrived at the residence and began their “treatment”, which involved beating Shivani with shoes and umbrellas. The woman reportedly fell unconscious when administered fire burns and had to be taken to Bishnupur sub-divisional hospital where doctors declared her brought dead.

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Sanjay later filed a complaint at the Joypur police station, naming his father Bibhuti who he alleged had called the tantriks, and the six men who have been identified as Dinobandhu Kotal, Banamali Gayen, Uttam Santra, Prodyut Digar, Saroj Jha and Jhanhabi Bairag.

“The six ‘tantriks’ have been arrested while Bibhuti is absconding. A case under sections 394 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common interest) of the IPC has been registered,” J Mercy, SDPO, Bishnupur, said, adding that those arrested did not have any criminal antecedent.

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