Bengaluru, Nov 20 (IANS): An elderly female occultist's throat was slit and her gold chain robbed in Anekal on the outskirts of the city on Monday.

Akkayyamma, who resides on Laxmi Theatre Road in Anekal, has been shifted to a private hospital, where her condition is stated to be critical.

The woman and her husband Narayanachari are local tantriks who provide solutions through the recital of mantras for leg and hand fractures, muscle pulls.

This morning, the accused entered her house under the pretext of seeking a solution and attacked her before escaping, the police explained.

According to the police, the robber had visited her on Saturday, seeking a solution for a muscle pull in his leg.

He returned on Monday claiming that after the consultation, a child in his family had died.

He then demanded that the victim give him the gold jewellery kept at home and locked the door. When the victim refused to hand over the valuables, the accused slit her throat with a knife and escaped with the gold chain she was wearing.

The robber also assaulted the victim's husband, who tried to save her.

On hearing the screams the neighbours rushed to the spot but the accused managed to escape.

The victim, who was found lying in a pool of blood, has been shifted to a hospital where she is said to be critical.

Anekal police arrived at the scene and initiated the investigation. The incident has instilled fear among the people in the region.