9-Year-Old Child's Grave Dug Up By Family After Occultist Promised To Resurrect Him

A family in India allegedly dug up the grave of a 9-year-old child in an attempt to bring him back to life through witchcraft.

The bizarre incident took place in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The police said Thursday they have arrested the occultist who conducted the rituals to revive the dead child.

The 9-year-old had died of a viral fever, and was buried in a graveyard near his village of Ganeshpur, News 18 reported. A woman had reportedly contacted the family of the deceased and claimed she knew someone who could bring the child back to life by performing witchcraft, following which they agreed to the practices and dug up their son's grave.

The family then handed over the child's body to the occultist who performed the alleged supernatural practices for five days. The exact date when the graveyard was dug was not revealed. It was also unknown when the child had died.

When the occultist failed to resurrect the kid, the victim's family thrashed him. They also allegedly stripped the occultist off his clothes and recorded the incident on camera. The child's family members were reportedly furious the occultist and his kin were spreading superstitious beliefs.

The video went viral on social media, following which local police launched an investigation. The occultist, who has not been identified, was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, India.com reported. Pharenda police station officials said the occultist was accused of defacing the graveyard and creating fear among the public. The exact charges placed on the occultist were not revealed.

In many parts of India, especially in rural areas, several people rely on occultist practices, and even take part in human sacrifice to fulfill their wishes. Many also prefer getting illness cured by an occultist rather than going to a doctor.

Last month, a 4-year-old child was killed as part of an occult ritual to cure a priest's unknown illness. The victim's father and a local temple priest were arrested in connection with the death. The incident took place in the eastern Indian state of Assam.