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Occult practitioner, the father held for minor girl’s death in north Kerala
The Kerala police on Wednesday arrested an occult practitioner and father of an 11-year-old girl for allegedly denying her medical treatment, which eventually led to her death, the police said
The Kerala police on Wednesday arrested an occult practitioner and father of an 11-year-old girl for allegedly denying her medical treatment, which eventually led to her death, the police said.
According to police, the seventh class student was suffering from a high fever for three days, and instead of taking her to the hospital, they took her to a local Imam, who is also an occult practitioner, and treated her with prayers and ritual water.
On Monday morning, she was rushed to a local hospital where doctors declared the girl was brought dead. The issue came to light after some of the relatives alerted police, saying the girl was forced to chant religious hymns and given blows to heal her illness. Parents were in a rush to bury the body, but after complaints, the police intervened.
“We have arrested the father and a local Imam in connection with the death of an 11-year-old. Cases will be registered under the juvenile justice act and culpable homicide,” said district police superintendent R Ilango. He said the police would also inquire into four more deaths in the family in recent years. Many relatives and locals also raised charges against the Imam.
The post-mortem revealed that severe respiratory infection led to her death, and she could have been saved had she gotten timely medical help, the police said.
Police further said they would also interrogate some of the Imam followers. The tragic death of a girl, hailing from a middle-class family, has sent shockwaves across the state.
In 2019, the state government had passed a bill in the assembly, Kerala prevention and eradication of evil practices, sorcery and black magic bill, to award stringent punishment for such offences.
