india

Updated: May 27, 2019 22:20 IST

Kerala Police on Monday arrested three people in Kollam (south Kerala) and two in neighbouring Tamil Nadu for allegedly denying treatment to a 16-year-old girl who later died at the house of a black magic practitioner in Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. In post-mortem reports o f the Muslim girl, police found that she was sexually assaulted.

Police said the incident happened on April 12. The victim’s mother had died years ago and her father works in the Middle East while she used to stay with relatives in Kollam. Police said she used to have recurring bouts of fever and one of her relatives advised black magic in Tirunelveli for “permanent cure”.

After her sudden death, some locals suspected foul play and alerted police. Later, her body was exhumed and sent for a post-mortem examination and the cause of death was ascertained as pneumonia. Police also found that she was sexually exploited. Police said her relatives later reportedly admitted that though she was prescribed medicine by a local doctor they refused it to her.

“There are six accused in the case. Five have been arrested and one is absconding. Among the arrested, two women are her relatives and one is an ‘ustad’ at the local mosque. They are charged under Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Indian Penal Code,” said Kollam West inspector B Anil Kumar.

Two months ago, newly married Thushara, 27, had starved to death in Kollam and later police arrested her husband and mother-in-law for occult and black magic. She was 22 kilos at the time of her death.