E-Paper
Suo motu case registered after woman’s picture found pinned to pumpkin
A suo motu case was registered at Shikrapur police station against unidentified people after a woman’s picture was found pinned to a pumpkin in a graveyard in Pabal area of Shikrapur
A suo motu case was registered at Shikrapur police station against unidentified people after a woman’s picture was found pinned to a pumpkin in a graveyard in Pabal area of Shikrapur.
People attending a funeral in the graveyard saw a round-shaped structure wrapped in a black bag and found a woman’s picture pinned to a green pumpkin, upon closer inspection. The structure was garnished with haldi-kumkum, and was kept with a piece of ornament and some lemons, which made it look like an attempt at what is considered in rural parts as black magic. People from the village gathered at the spot to inspect the structure.
“We did receive such information from a local reporter. We have registered a suo motu case and investigation will begin. We are yet to identify the woman in the picture but the identity will be protected even when we do identify her. There is no CCTV coverage in the area,” said senior police inspector Hemant Shendage of Shikrapur police station.
Members of slain rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar’s organisation Andhashradha Nirmoolan Samiti (ANiS) visited the site and released a video statement about the incident, cautioning people that it has no effect.
“Some people found the structure. When people realised, they informed local journalists. The incident created unrest. Such things are done so something bad befalls the person. However, such customs do not work. The people who do it are deviant. Our organisation only wants to urge people to not be scared or panic. We urge the local police to check if there are cameras and find the people who did it so they can be stopped,” said Nandini Jadhav of the Pune unit of ANiS.
A case under relevant Sections of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013 was registered at Shikrapur police station against unidentified people.
