E-Paper
Rajasthan man sets minor girl on fire, then kills himself
Initial probe has indicated that the accused committed the crime as part of his black magic practice.
A man set a minor girl on fire in Rajasthan’s Barmer district on Friday and then immolated himself allegedly as part of suspected practice of sorcery or occult, police said.
Confirming the incident, superintendent of police in Barmer Anand Sharma said station house officer Nimb Singh received a call from the villagers about the two bodies around 11 am on Friday. Police reached the spot and found the bodies of a 10-year-old girl and one Kisturam Bheel, a middle-aged man who claimed to be an occultist, in a pit-shaped hideout in Sujon Ka Niwan village.
According to the complaint lodged by the girl’s father, Ramchandra Bheel, Kisturam tried to pull two girls, including his daughter, into the shaped hideout on Friday, while they were passing by. The other girl managed to escape and informed the villagers about the incident.
However, by the time the villagers reached the spot, the accused had set Ramchandra’s daughter on fire and immolated himself. Their bodies were found in the pit.
Sharma said a case has been lodged under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. “The police searched the house of the accused and found some items related to black magic. Prima facie, it appears that the accused was a black magician (tantrik),” Sharma said.
Initial probe has indicated that the accused committed the crime as part of his black magic practice. Further investigation has been ordered into the case,he added.
