Police on Saturday intervened to stop the last rites of a mentally unsound woman, who died under suspicious circumstances at her residence in Jalpally in Balapur here.
Reshma Fatima (25) died after being administered a fatal powder by a black magic practitioner in Talab Katta in Old City, said sources. “On Saturday afternoon, we got information that Reshma was found dead and the family was trying to hush up the matter by completing last rites,” said Pahadishareef inspector M. Shanker.
Acting on the tip-off, a team rushed to the victim’s residence and stopped the last rites. Reshma’s father Mohammed Farooq told police that for the past five years, “spirits had entered” his daughter’s body following which he took her to several godmen and dargahs for a ‘cure’, but in vain.
Following advice of relatives, Farooq on Friday took Reshma to a wizard, Nayeem, who is currently at large. “There he administered a fatal powder to her. Later, Nayeem told Farooq his daughter should sleep and asked him not disturb her for the next 24 hours,” the inspector said.
By noon, they returned home and Reshma was sleeping inside a room. Around 5 a.m. on Saturday, when Farooq went inside the room, he found her unconscious and informed Nayeem, who rushed to the spot and declared her dead, blaming the family for consulting him at the ‘last minute’, Mr Shanker said.
Police also found bruises on the victim’s legs, hands and private parts. A case has been registered and probe is under way.