Occult Practitioner Arrested for Ritual Abuse

In Ahmedabad, police have apprehended Chandrakant Panchal, who allegedly posed as an occult practitioner to sexually assault a minor girl. Panchal is accused of exploiting the family by claiming their daughter was possessed by evil spirits. He used fabricated religious rituals as a pretext to commit the assaults.

The suspect reportedly lured the family with assurances of financial prosperity and the discovery of hidden gold. He also allegedly threatened the victim to prevent her from revealing the abuse.

A case has been registered against Panchal under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the Gujarat Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil, and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2024. Police are investigating further to determine if he has targeted other individuals.

The arrest highlights the dangers of fraudulent spiritual practices preying on vulnerable families. The new legislation in Gujarat aims to combat such incidents.