By :- Shruti Tiwari
Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh): In a shocking incident from Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh district, a 35-year-old woman lost her life after being subjected to brutal torture during a black magic ritual. The alleged occult practitioner, or tantrik, reportedly beat the woman, strangled her, and forced her to drink sewage water, leading to her death.
The Victim: Childless for 11 Years
The deceased, Anuradha Yadav, a resident of Naipura village in the Tehbarpur area, had been married since 2014. Despite 11 years of marriage, she remained childless. In desperation, her family turned to superstitious practices, seeking help from a local tantrik named Chandu, who operated in her maternal village, Pehlwanpur, under Kandharapur police station.
According to her brother, Sudhir Yadav, Anuradha had been staying at her parental home for the past month. Her family paid ₹22,000 to Chandu, who promised her the blessing of a child through his occult rituals.
Ritual Turned Deadly
On Sunday night, the situation turned tragic when Chandu allegedly performed a ritual on Anuradha. Instead of any healing, he beat her severely, strangled her, and forced her to consume filthy water from a drain. When her condition worsened, Chandu transported her to the district hospital in an auto-rickshaw. Doctors declared her brought dead.
Shockingly, Chandu then took her body back to her home and told the family she was merely unconscious and would regain consciousness soon. Afterwards, he went to the Kandharapur police station and surrendered.
Public Outrage and Protest
When the news of Anuradha’s death spread, angry villagers carried her body and staged a protest in front of the temple built by Chandu himself. They demanded immediate action against the self-styled godman and his accomplices, which included his wife and two associates. The police tried to send the body for postmortem the same night but were blocked by the agitated crowd. Police remained deployed in the village throughout the night to manage the situation.
On Monday morning, authorities finally convinced the family to allow a postmortem, after which legal proceedings began.
A History of Deceit
Villagers revealed that Chandu had been performing black magic rituals for several years. Claiming to cure infertility, remove evil spirits, and solve personal problems, he charged fees ranging from ₹20,000 to ₹1 lakh. Over time, he amassed significant local influence, even building a grand temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, and another for his deceased sister, where he conducted many of his rituals.
Police Action
Azamgarh City SP Madhuban Singh confirmed the registration of a case:
“A woman named Anuradha died under suspicious circumstances in Pehlwanpur village. A complaint has been lodged by the family against Chandu, his wife, and two others. The body has been sent for postmortem. An FIR has been registered and action will be taken accordingly.”
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for a crackdown on fake occult practitioners who exploit vulnerable people under the guise of supernatural powers.