In a dramatic conclusion to a nearly month-long search, Khargone police in Madhya Pradesh successfully rescued a six-year-old boy who was allegedly kidnapped for performing occult rituals linked to black magic and the bizarre belief of creating a 'money rain'. The police have arrested four individuals in connection with the case.
Massive Police Operation Unfolds
The ordeal began on December 10 when the child was abducted from outside his house near Khangwada Fata on Navodaya School Road in the Sanawad area. According to Superintendent of Police Ravindra Verma, two men lured the boy with the promise of buying him a cricket bat and ball before fleeing with him on a motorcycle.
Following the registration of a case at Sanawad police station, a massive operation was launched. More than 100 police personnel from multiple stations including Sanawad, Barwaha, Bedia, Mandleshwar, and Balkwada were mobilized. The investigation leveraged specialized units like the cyber cell, FSL, fingerprint experts, dog squad, and control room staff.
The teams left no stone unturned, scanning over 1,000 call detail records, examining more than 100 CCTV footage clips, conducting extensive searches in forest and backwater areas, and questioning approximately 150 people.
Black Magic Angle Emerges
The investigation took a dark turn on December 31 when a nude photograph of the child, allegedly used in occult rituals, was discovered near the victim's house. Along with the photo, police found a diary and ritual items like lemons and garlands, confirming a black magic angle to the kidnapping.
SP Verma stated that names and mobile numbers written under the photograph were later found to be misleading, intended to throw investigators off track.
Breakthrough and Arrests
The breakthrough came when police received a crucial tip-off about a man posing as a 'baba', identified as Surendra alias Pintu alias Ankit. He had been staying in a rented house for about 20 days and was noted for moving out only at night. Police placed him under surveillance.
Late at night, officers spotted him bringing the child. On seeing the police, the accused abandoned the boy and attempted to flee but was swiftly apprehended. Following his arrest, three other accused—Shubham alias Lov Yadav, Rampal Narvare, and Dhan Singh Badole—were also taken into custody.
Police revealed that the accused believed they could perform tantric rituals to make 'money rain' and locate buried gold. The child was kept in a rented room in Punasa for the entire 22-day period and was allegedly subjected to degrading occult practices during his captivity.
The police also provided background on the child's family, noting that his mother had left his father and two sisters five years ago. The children were living with their grandparents while the father was working in Goa.
The intensive operation stands as a testament to the persistence of the Khargone police force in ensuring the safe recovery of the child and cracking down on criminal activities exploiting superstition and black magic.
