The woman, who was under the custody of the Triplicane police, for allegedly killing a ‘spiritual healer and astrologer,’ claimed that he was done in by the “same evil spirit that he had set on her.” She was remanded in judicial custody by a metropolitan magistrate on Friday evening.
Syed Bazurudhin, 62, a ‘spiritual healer and astrologer’ had an outlet in a shopping complex on Triplicane High Road near the Big Mosque. While he was performing special prayers, the assailant who was in a burkha chucked some inflammable substance on him. It caught fire immediately, and he died of burns.
After a long struggle, a special team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Arokia Prakasam, zeroed in on the accused, a woman.
On suspicion, police reached the suspect Naveen Taj’s residence in Ice House. While the enquiry was on, her family suddenly admitted her to the Institute of Mental Health hospital. She was under observation since Wednesday.
Sources said the police team was not able to interrogate her since she had been hospitalised. However, on the request of the police, she was thoroughly checked by the doctors and declared mentally fit on Thursday night. Subsequently she was discharged from the hospital and the police took her into their custody.
Ms. Naveen Taj claimed she was forced to come to his outlet for 13 weeks under the pretext of being possessed by evil spirit and that it needs to be warded off. Even though she completed the 13-week schedule, he again forced her to come for 13 more weeks, she said.
During interrogation, she told the police that Syed did not bring her any relief. At one point, she quarrelled with him and decided to finish him off. She said that she thought he only launched evil on her family. She later claimed it was the same evil spirit he had turned on her that threw the fuel on him.