Man, 3-Year-Old Son Beaten To Death By Family Members During Exorcism Attempt

A man and his toddler son have been beaten to death by family members in a suspected exorcism ritual in India.

Rajaram Karadi, a 26-year-old homeopathic practitioner, and his 3-year-old son Adarsh were beaten to death by their relatives Indore, central state of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.

The police got a report about a man beaten to death and responded to the house to find the child locked in a room. When they broke into the room, they found a 19-year-old girl sitting on the child and beating him with utensils "in a frenzy," reported the Times of India.

The officers tried to resuscitate the toddler boy but he was already dead. They identified the 19-year-old girl as Mamta, Karadi's niece.

"Five persons, including the deceased homeopath practitioner's sister, niece, two nephews and another close relative have been arrested so far in the matter. The arrested men and women have been booked for murder and attempted murder," District Police Superintendent Gaurav Tiwari said as per New Indian Express.

The family, who believed that Karadi and his son were possessed by evil spirits, locked them up to perform an exorcism, the police said. Karadi's sister Anita and her daughter Mamta attacked the victims with utensils during the night-long rituals.

A crowd of relatives was present at home during the incident as the family had gathered for the wedding of Karadi's youngest sister. Some of them took him to the hospital after he collapsed at home. Karadi was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The investigation later revealed that the suspects had locked four people in two rooms on suspicion of being possessed by evil spirits. Karadi's mother, Thavri Bai, was also locked in a room. She was in critical condition when the cops found her. Karadi's wife Sita was locked up in a separate room and was also beaten.

"The accused forcibly put a coin in Rajaram's wife's mouth, owing to which she was unable to speak. A surgery was performed at government hospital, after which she is out of danger. Rajaram's mother Thavri Bai too is stated out of danger now," Tiwari said.