Two men rape minor under the pretext of exorcism ritual in Mumbai's Virar

A self-proclaimed godman and his friend were arrested for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl under the guise of exorcism in Virar, Mumbai.

Self-proclaimed godman and his friend allegedly raped a minor teen under the pretext of conducting exorcism rituals on July 30. The Virar police arrested them both on Saturday.

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The victim, a 17-year-old, lives in Virar and is a student. She told the police that she met the godman, 22-year-old Prem Patil, many months ago in a temple, and he befriended her. He allegedly told her that he practises witchcraft and that she was possessed by an evil spirit. To expel the spirit, he told her she would have to have a physical relationship with him.

According to the police, on July 30, Prem and his friend Karan Patil took the victim to a lodge in the Rajodi beach area in Virar and raped her multiple times. After the girl left the lodge, she revealed the incident to her friend, who urged her to approach the police.

The Virar police registered an FIR on Friday against Prem and Karan under the relevant Sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice, other Inhuman and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.

“We have arrested both the accused and will now find out whether they have raped other girls too in the past,” said Lalu Ture, Senior Police Inspector of Virar Police Station.