3 held in Palghar for practising 'witchcraft' to cheat man

Police have arrested three men from Maharashtra’s Palghar district for allegedly practising ‘witchcraft’ and collecting money from a person by promising to get it doubled, an official said on Sunday.

Based on a tip-off, the police intercepted a car and a motorcycle in Jawhar area on Friday and apprehended the three accused, district Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil said.

During the probe, the police came to know the accused had asked for Rs 1.5 lakh from a man from Valsad in neighbouring Gujarat and promised him Rs 5 lakh in return with the help of their “supernatural power”, the official said.

The police seized from their possession some counterfeit currency notes, a ‘trishul’ (trident) and other material used in the ritual, he said.

The three accused, aged 27, 46 and 55, were arrested and booked under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, he said.