Tantric rituals: Family booked for woman's death

Surat: While probing the death a 22-year-old woman, Divya Patel, at Palsana village in Valsad district, police found that she had died due from illness after suffering multiple burns due to a tantric ritual carried out in the presence of her family.

Pardi police on Friday booked four persons — the victim's father Arjun, sisters Ishita and Priyanka, and Priyanka's husband, Jignesh Naika.

The complaint alleges culpable homicide not amounting to murder, misleading a public servant and offences under the Gujarat Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act.

A police officer became the complainant and details about the crime were shared by Panna, Divya's mother. She told police that it was Divya who had instructed the accused to put seven oiled cotton wicks on her body and light them up on the third night of Chaitri Navratri. The family then put the wicks on her forehead, neck, stomach, palms and feet and lit them. Panna had told the family not to light the wicks, fearing Divya would suffer burns, but the family went ahead, the FIR states.

When police questioned neighbours, they said Divya had been shouting in pain and that "she was the deity Meldi and would not get hurt". All the accused persons and Panna were present at the time.

On April 4, she developed health issues. Ishita, who works as a helper at a private hospital, began treating Divya at home. On April 12, when her fever did not subside and she started suffering fits, she was taken to a private hospital. The next day, Divya was taken to Valsad Civil Hospital, where she died on April 14. At the hospital, Arjun told doctors that Divya suffered burns due to her fits.

After her death, her body was sent for a postmortem and doctors raised suspicions about the death. Meanwhile, the body was handed over to the family. When they took her for cremation, villagers noticed the burns, each of which were about three inches in diameter. They shot a video, which later circulated on social media, alleging death due to a tantric ritual.

Police initially registered a case of accidental death and started an investigation. Based on their findings, the FIR was filed against the family members.

Divya had studied up to Class 12 and worked at a plastics unit in Daman. Police questioned co-workers about her health and they said she did not have any issues. Neighbours also told police that they were unaware of any health or mental issues.