HYDERABAD: The strenuous physical exertion of a family for over six months to strike gold and become ‘crorepati’ overnight, proved futile as police swooped on their house and arrested the couple along with two accomplices. The couple had dug up a 30-foot pit right in the back-yard of their house, searching for treasure, believing the words of a sorcerer.
While police registered cases against them for performing black magic and creating nuisance to the public, besides threatening their neighbours, the accused maintained that they had dug up the portion to store water and not for treasure. It was the neighbours who alerted the police as they felt suspicious about the move.
Ravinder and Padma, assisted by Yunus Khan and Prasad Sharma, had dug up a 30-foot pit, in the backyard of their house, hidden from the eyes of the neighbours. The neighbours in Amberpet poured cold water on their plans suspecting that the couple was performing black magic.
On Tuesday night, Baburao, a neighbour of Ravinder and Padma, noticed unusual activities in Ravinder’s home. When he snooped in, Baburao found that lights in the rooms were switched off, but huge ceremonial fires had lit up a particular area. He could sense the intense smell of incense sticks.
Suspecting that his neighbours were up to black magic, he, along with two others tried to enter Ravinder’s home, but were not allowed. He gathered more people and barged into the home to see the pooja materials arranged near the well.
Accosted by them, Padma threatened to kill herself if the word was spread. Upon checking, the neighbours found Yunus Khan and Prasad Sharma, hiding in a room.
They immediately alerted the police.The men in khaki were taken aback to see about 30-foot deep narrow well in the backyard of the home.
A look into the well dug up by Padma and Ravindra in the backyard of their house in Amberpet indicated that the plan had been underway for a long time. Electric wires ran in to light up the pit and an air-conditioner was placed just beside the pit with ladders placed to gain access. Some pieces of wood were placed inside the pit to stand or sit.
Incense sticks, ceremonial fire, and red colour powder were placed beside the pit, indicating that some ritual was underway. Baburao, who lives in Dhobigalli, Amberpet, says he had doubts about the behaviour of his neighbour. The couple used to call workers to dig a pit for water storage tank. The work was going on for more than six months.
‘’The neighbours locked up the duo in the room, and informed us about the incident. We have registered cases under IPC Section 268 (Public Nuisance), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and under Section 3 of Black Magic Act,” said Amberpet SI G Ravi. He added that they found all the ritual material at an unusual place.
While Ravinder is in-charge of a private blood bank, Padma is a housewife. Padma however stuck to her claim that there was no treasure hunt or black magic, and said they dug up the well to store water.