ALAPPUZHA: The Nooranad police on Wednesday arrested six persons for performing witchcraft on a 25-year-old woman. The arrested persons, including the husband of the woman, subjected the victim to severe torture to get rid of a ‘jinn’ (a spirit) that, according to the sorcerers, had possessed her body.
The arrested were identified as Aneesh, 34, of Thirayil Kizhakethil, Ilappukulam, Bharanikavu, his relatives Shibu, 31, of Soumya Bhavan, Thamarakulam, his wife Shahina, 31, sorcerers Imamudheen, 35, of Imamudheen Manzil, Nellimoodu, Kulathupuzha, Kollam, and his brother Anwar Hussain, 28, and Sulaiman, 52, of Bilal Manzil, Thingalkarikkam, Punalur.
According to Nooranad SHO P Sreejith, the accused tortured the woman as part of witchcraft many times since August. The first incident happened at a rental house where the woman and her husband lived at Mangaram near Vallikunnam.
According to a statement given by the victim to the police, a group of people, including her husband, physically tortured her as part of exorcising the ‘jinn.’ They also tried to create wounds on her body with a long sword while the rituals were performed. The woman was subjected to torture as part of the witchcraft for a second time at the house of one of the sorcerers at Punalur.
“On the third occasion, the ritual was performed at a rental house at Adikkattukulangara near Nooranad. When the team tried to perform the ritual, she prevented their efforts which led to severe torture. As the condition of the woman deteriorated, she reported the incident to the police,” the SHO said.
She worked in a company in Infopark, Thiruvananthapuram. It was her second marriage with Aneesh. Aneesh believed in sorcery which led to the sordid turn of events in her life. When the woman tried to resist, Aneesh informed her relatives and neighbours that she was suffering from mental problems, police said.