Self-Styled Godman Arrested for Sinister Ritual in Maharashtra

Ganesh Lokhande, a self-styled godman, was arrested in Maharashtra's Jalna for alleged harassment and abetment of suicide. Accused of demanding a man's daughter for an occult ritual, Lokhande aimed to uncover hidden treasure. Police invoked the Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Act against him.

A self-styled godman has been detained by police in Maharashtra's Jalna district over allegations of harassment and involvement in a man's suicide. The suspect, Ganesh Lokhande, reportedly pressured a man into giving him his five-year-old daughter for an occult ritual, as stated by law enforcement on Tuesday.

Inspector Kiran Bidve reported that Lokhande, aged 45, was apprehended on March 6 concerning the demise of 30-year-old Dnyaneshwar Aher from Walsa Wadla village in Bhokardan tehsil. Aher was found to have taken his own life by hanging on March 3, ostensibly following undue pressure from Lokhande.

An investigation uncovered that Lokhande was compelling Aher to surrender his child to perform a ritual aimed at discovering hidden treasure. Lokhande had acquired an abandoned house, dug a 20-foot pit for the purpose, and collected literature on black magic. Authorities have charged him under the Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Act, with inquiries continuing into potential co-conspirators.

(With inputs from agencies.)