25 April,2024 06:51 AM IST | Mumbai | The Editorial
Representational image. Pic/iStock
A 40-year-old man from Thane has been detained for reportedly practising black magic and claiming to have the ability to fight off "evil spirits." Reports stated that a woman from Kisan Nagar had asked for the Thane man's assistance for her daughter, who was frequently ill. Despite eight visits to the accused for therapy, her daughter's condition didn't improve.
According to the report, the accused had advised the woman to take her daughter and other family members to a crematorium where he would perform rituals to rid them of so-called âevil spirits'. For that, they would have to pay Rs 5,000.
The woman on reaching the spot found out that six to eight other people were also present there, all of them ready to be rid of âevil spirits' by this conman. Caught by villagers, he was turned over to the police and charged under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil, and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act 2013.
People are advised to desist from believing in these frauds who tout evil spirits. The woman needed a good doctor and maybe some counselling would have helped, too.
What was heartening was that locals themselves had realised he is a fraud, after which he was turned over to the cops. We must remember that the conmen prey on people who are at the lowest point and most vulnerable. We must stop believing in miracle cures, magical pills and potions, ghosts and evil spirits, people who are possessed and certain sacrifices, sometimes horrifically killing a human being to abolish this or that or the other.
These charlatans will pocket your money, like they have done with so many others and be off in a trice, never to be seen again. The visiting crematorium is part of their spook the people plan. Turn them over to the cops who will rid their evil spirits in prison.
