PUNE: The Chakan police have arrested two men under Maharashtra’s anti-superstition law for allegedly performing a black magic ritual near a cemetery at Bhose village on Friday night.
The police, alerted by local villagers, raided the spot and arrested Narendra Hanumant Gaikwad (52) of Pimpri and Ganesh Maruti Chavan (38) of Bhosari.
A manhunt is on for two other men who fled the scene.
A case has been registered under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act.
Police said the two arrested men were farm workers and would allegedly perform black magic rituals in their free time.
As per a statement recorded with the police, the businessman runs an auto finance firm and has been under financial distress over the past year. Police said he was looking for a remedy and reached out to a few men from Hyderabad, who put him in touch with the four suspects last October.
Police said the four men went to Hyderabad and performed a small ritual. They then asked the businessman to visit Pune for another ritual. Over two months, police said the men took Rs5.13 lakh from the businessman.
The businessman arrived in Pune on Friday. The four suspects took him to the spot in Bhose village. When local residents came to know about the ritual, they alerted the police.