Couple held for torturing house-help’s 2-year-old son to cure him of ‘evil possesion’

An officer said that nearly two weeks ago the woman had started working at the residence of the Kokare couple in Bhandup. Since her husband suffered from paralysis, she would get her son along with her to work. The kid was quite energetic and in the evening would run around the house. This irritated the couple. They told the woman that her son was possessed by an evil spirit because of which he was so hyperactive. They further claimed to knew Aghori practises by which they could cure him, the officer said.

“They further said that for her son to be cured, she will have to be patient and be willing to accept the treatment. They also told her that she will have to stay with them for a few days so that the child could be cured.

The woman did as they said but within the next few days found that they were inflicting burn wounds on her son using a candle and also beating him,” an officer said.

Eventually she sneaked out of the place on Wednesday with her son and contacted her relatives who took her to the Bhandup police station. Based on her statement an FIR was registered against Vaibhav and Vaibhavi Kokare under sections of the anti superstition and black magic act following which they were placed under arrest on Thursday. An officer said that the couple was produced before a local court and remanded to police custody for five days. “We are interrogating them to find out if they are linked to any gang that is involved in such practices.”