Varanasi: 6 arrested for occultist's murder after rituals go wrong

Six people were arrested in Varanasi for allegedly murdering an occultist, Anish Upadhyay. The family hired him for rituals to solve financial and health problems, but killed him when their situation worsened, according to police.

The Varanasi Police in Uttar Pradesh have arrested six people in connection with the alleged murder of occultist Anish Upadhyay, who was reportedly called to perform rituals after the family faced financial troubles and illness. The accused have been identified as Sonu, Vishal, Vikas Kumar Gond, Sahil Gond, Abhishek alias Rohit Kashyap, and Mohit Kashyap. They were arrested from different locations on August 13 and 14, police said.

According to police, the deceased's wife had reported his disappearance at the Lalpur Pandeypur police station on July 9. On August 13, she submitted a written complaint alleging that her husband had been murdered and his body concealed in bushes to destroy evidence. Based on the complaint, FIR No. 244/2026 under Sections 191(2), 103(1), and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered at Lalpur Pandeypur police station. The investigation is being conducted by Inspector-in-Charge Atul Kumar Singh.

Rituals Gone Wrong Leads to Murder

According to the statements of the accused, poverty and illness had affected their family. Suspecting the presence of a malevolent spirit, they contacted occultist Baba Anish Upadhyay, a resident of Om Nagar Colony, Goithaha, under Lalpur Pandeypur police station, to perform rituals. The accused told police that Upadhyay performed rituals for four to five days, but the family's problems worsened. They then allegedly planned his murder along with their relatives.

Brutal Assault and Cover-Up

According to police, the accused called Upadhyay to their rented house in Kanchanpur, Manduadih, on the pretext that their friend was possessed. They allegedly assaulted him with a wooden stool, a domestic gas cylinder, and an iron rod, resulting in his death. The accused allegedly played music on a music system to mask the deceased's screams during the assault. They also cleaned blood stains from the walls and floor and sprayed room freshener and body spray to conceal the smell, according to police.

Arrests and Recoveries

Police said one wooden stool, one domestic gas cylinder, one iron rod, and one music system with speakers allegedly used in the incident were recovered. Sonu was arrested on August 13 from the Lalpur Pandeypur police station premises. Vishal, Vikas and Sahil were arrested at around 3:30 pm the same day near the road leading to Nai Basti from Kali Mata Temple. Abhishek and Mohit were arrested at around 2:10 am on August 14 near Ghanshyam PG College in Pandeypur. (ANI)

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