Chhattisgarh: Man Dies After 'Tantrik' Brands Him With Trident Repeatedly To 'Drive Out Evil Spirit'

A post-mortem report of the victim revealed that he succumbed to infection due to burn injuries on his body.

A dead body being carried by medical professionals

Source : Getty

A mentally-challenged man died days after a tantrik branded him with a hot trident on several occassions in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh to drive out "evil spirit" and cure him of his "illness", reported news agency PTI. Police have arrested the tantrik on murder charges. 

The incident came to light after a villager alerted the police that a person who died in Podi village under Ratanpur police station limits had multiple burn marks on his body.

After police started interrogating the wife of the victim, she revealed that her husband had been suffering from mental illness for the past few months and was also availing treatment for it.

"Recently, she came in touch with the tantrik from Junwani village under Malhar police station area of the district. Rajak (tantrik) claimed that the man is under the influence of evil powers and he can free him from it. She took her husband to the tantrik on October 23, following which the latter subjected the man to occult practices and branded him with hot trident on several occasions for four days," the police official told PTI.

The woman said she brought back her husband after his condition worsened on October 26. The person died on October 30.

"The short post-mortem report of the victim revealed that he succumbed to infection due to burn injuries on his body," the official said.

A case was registered in this connection and the accused tantrik was arrested on charges of murder. Further investigation into the matter is underway, police said.

(With inputs from PTI)