Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (SP)
Madikeri, Oct 13: A sorcerer and three others have been arrested after a woman lost her life under suspicious circumstances at Boyikeri near here on Monday October 12.
Asha (50), a resident of Ibnivalavadi village near Boyikeri, died at the home of Dharani from the same village. Burn marks which apparently were branded with hot object, were seen on her left hand. It is claimed that Asha often came under the spell of a spirit, and she was brought to the house of Dharani, where a sorcerer named Durgadatta Kalidasa Swami lived, to get rid of this problem.
The sorcerer's original name was K Muhammed Iqbal, and he hails from Siddapur in the district. Through a press release issued on May 19 this year, he had changed his name to Sri Durgadatta Kalidasa Swami. He was staying at Dharani's house since the last two years, and allegedly he performed puja and other procedures on behalf of villagers facing problems, and promising them respite.
Reportedly, puja was performed at Dharani's house on Sunday. At night, Asha is said to have become very sick. At around midnight, her senses were allegedly taken over by some spirit. The sorcerer is said to have whipped her repeatedly for driving the spirit away, and evidently, unable to bear the pain, she fell unconscious. On Monday morning, Dharani found that Asha had died in the puja room.
People gathered there in large numbers, and Asha's relatives alleged that she was killed with an eye on some hidden treasure. On the basis of a complaint filed by Asha's brother, the rural police here have registered a case of murder, and arrested the sorcerer, Dharani, and her children, Kavan Kariappa and Bhuvan Changappa.