Soothsayer flees with six sovereigns

CHENNAI: The Chennai city police have launched a hunt for a soothsayer, who on the pretext of warding off ‘evil eye’, escaped with six sovereigns from a house on Friday.

The victim, Daulath of Nehru Nagar, and her 10 year old daughter Asiba, were at home when a soothsayer sought alms in front her house around 10 am.

“When Daulath sent her daughter to give the man Rs 10, the latter reportedly placed his hand on the child’s head and told Daulath that the child had been cursed,” said a police officer. He offered to ward off the evil eye and asked for a glass of water.

The soothsayer allegedly chanted something into the water and sprinkled it on the mother-daughter duo. Both Daulath and Asiba fell unconscious and when they woke up, they found two gold chains, a pair of bangles, and a ring of theirs missing. A complaint at Pulianthope police station and a case has been registered.