Pune woman forced to bathe under waterfall in front of others to ‘bear children’

The woman in her complaint alleged that her in-laws have been harassing her since 2013 for dowry and for not giving birth to a male child

A 38-year-old city-based businessman forced his wife to bathe naked in public under Maleshwar waterfall in Ratnagiri district, as part of a black magic ritual initiated by a godman who assured them that it would result in her giving birth to a male child.

A 38-year-old city-based businessman forced his wife to bathe naked in public under Maleshwar waterfall in Ratnagiri district, as part of a black magic ritual (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

Following a complaint from the woman on Sunday, Bharati Vidyapeeth police have lodged a first information report (FIR) under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Black Magic Act. Four people including the man, his father (64), mother (62) and the godman have been arrested.

The woman in her complaint alleged that her in-laws have been harassing her since 2013 for dowry and for not giving birth to a male child.

According to a complainant the man and his parents took her to a godman in Jayasingpur, Kolhapur district. The godman asked them to perform a ‘pooja’ as the woman was under the influence of black magic. They performed pooja at their house in Ambegaon Budruk and offices based in Akurdi, Shirol and Survad village in Indapur tehsil. He then asked them to make the complainant bathe naked under the waterfall in public and assured them that it would result in her giving birth to a male child.

The complainant further alleged that her husband had taken a loan of ₹75 lakh on her property by forging her signature and also took away her jewellery for business purposes.

Police have registered a case under sections 498 a (cruelty by the husband or his relatives), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 420 (cheating and dishonestly), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 406 (criminal breach of trust) of IPC along with section 3 of Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.

Police inspector Jagannath Kalaskar is investigating the case further.