UP: Self-styled exorcist kills toddler to please deity

As per the police, the accused has confessed to the crime that on June 15, he had kidnapped the son of Ramavatar, a resident of Barigwan, after seeing him playing alone near a well.

Agra: A self-styled exorcist killed a two-and-a-half-year-old boy in the name of “sacrifice” in Kheragarh tehsil of the Agra district. The accused Bhola alias Hukam Singh a self-styled exorcist who has been arrested by the police, killed Hrithik “to please Chamad Mata” in the village. As per the police, the accused has confessed to the crime that on June 15, he had kidnapped the son of Ramavatar, a resident of Barigwan, after seeing him playing alone near a well.

He took him to his room and strangled him to death and placed the toddler's body at the feet of the deity. The self-styled exorcist later put Hrithik's body in a sack and hid it in the bushes. The body was recovered by the police and the villagers on June 16. The police finally zeroed in on the accused, who told police that at four o'clock on the morning of June 16, he had thrown the child's body in the dry Kibar river.

It has been learned that one Sheru of the village saw Bhola taking Hrithik with him but was threatened by Bhola of the consequences. Despite the threats, Sheru mustered courage and provided a tip-off to the police. SP West Agra Satyajit Gupta said that the victim's father had filed a missing complaint on June 16. Gupta said that the accused had killed the boy “for sacrifice” after his exorcism was not working.