Four-Year-Old Boy Allegedly Drowned by Occultist in Gujarat Over Unfulfilled Animal Sacrifice
In a shocking incident that has sent shockwaves through the community, a four-year-old boy was allegedly drowned in a water tank by a woman occultist in Dhrangadhra town of Surendranagar district, Gujarat. The tragic event occurred approximately 123 kilometers from Ahmedabad, with police stating that the motive stemmed from the child's father failing to perform an animal sacrifice that had been promised to the occultist.
Arrest and Legal Action
The accused, identified as Rehana Mayak, was a neighbor of the victim's family in the Police Quarters area. She was arrested based on a formal complaint filed by the child's father, Farooq alias Lalo Echwadia, aged 37, at the Dhrangadhra City police station on Friday. Mayak was subsequently produced before a local court on Monday, where she was remanded in police custody for two days to facilitate further investigation.
Police have registered the case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 3(3) of the Gujarat Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2024. This underscores the serious nature of the allegations, linking the crime to practices explicitly prohibited under state law.
Background of the Tragic Pact
According to the detailed complaint filed by Farooq, who operates a painting business, the family's ordeal began around five years ago. He and his wife, who already had four daughters, approached Rehana Mayak seeking her assistance to have a son. Mayak allegedly promised them a male child on the specific condition that they would sacrifice a goat to a deity after the birth.
The couple agreed to this arrangement, and their son, Kartik Echwadia, was born on February 1, 2022. However, the promised sacrifice was not carried out, setting the stage for the subsequent tragedy.
Escalating Threats and the Fatal Incident
On March 28, Mayak visited the Echwadia family's home and demanded that the goat sacrifice be performed immediately. She warned that failure to do so before Chaitra Purnima would result in harm coming to the child. Farooq responded by stating he would only proceed with the sacrifice if he dreamed of the deity requesting it, a condition that Mayak reportedly found unacceptable.
Mayak allegedly left the premises, declaring that the deity was displeased and that the family would bear responsibility if anything happened to Kartik. This ominous warning foreshadowed the events that unfolded just days later.
On April 2, Farooq returned home for lunch to find his wife in a state of extreme distress. Kartik had gone out to play and had not returned. After an intensive search of the area, the young boy was discovered in the water tank at Mayak's house. He was rushed to a private hospital but was tragically declared dead upon arrival.
Delayed Police Report and Investigation
Despite suspecting foul play due to Mayak's earlier threats and her alleged involvement in occult practices, the family did not immediately approach the police. They proceeded with the child's burial, a decision that delayed the official investigation. It was only after relatives intervened and urged action that Farooq lodged the formal complaint on Friday.
Upon receiving the complaint, police acted swiftly. They exhumed Kartik's body on the same day and conducted a postmortem at the Dhrangadhra government hospital. The investigation is currently ongoing, with authorities focusing on establishing the exact circumstances surrounding the child's death. This includes detailed custodial interrogation of the accused to uncover further details and evidence.
The case highlights the grim realities of superstitious beliefs and their potential to lead to horrific crimes, even in modern times. It also underscores the importance of legal frameworks like the Gujarat anti-black magic act in combating such practices. As the probe continues, the community remains in mourning, grappling with the loss of a young life under such tragic and preventable circumstances.
