Shivamogga: A 55-year-old woman in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district was beaten to death after an exorcist hit her to drive away evil spirits.
The woman identified as Geetamma succumbed to injuries following the incident on Monday night, NDTV reported.
Police have registered murder case against Geetamma’s son, Sanjay, and the two others involved in exorcism.
Believing that his mother was possessed, Sanjay approached Asha who allegedly performed exorcism.
Asha, accompanied by her husband, Santosh, came to Geetamma's house to perform exorcism.
A video of the act showed Geetamma sitting disheveled on the floor with her hair loose around her shoulder.
She looked to be in a semi-conscious state while Asha hovered a lemon around Geetamma’s head.
Asha forced her smell it, before hitting her on the head with the same lemon.
Afterwards, halving the lemon she slaps it on Geetamma’s hair before rubbing and smashing it on the head.
She repeats the horrific act with the other half as well, before pulling her by her hair and slapping her four times.
Afterwards, Asha repeatedly hits the elderly woman with a stick.
Geetamma tries to vainly protect herself from the beating.
The assault that started around 9:30 pm, as per camera records, reportedly continued till 1:00 am. Eventually, Geetamma succumbed to her injuries.
Police have arrested the three accused in the case: Sanjay, Asha, and Santosh.
The incident comes a week after five members of a family were set ablaze in Bihar's Purnia district on suspicion of practicing ‘witchcraft’, according to NDTV.