Three people, including an alleged practitioner of black magic, have been arrested after a woman was brutally attacked during exorcism rituals after being suspected of being possessed by her body.
The arrested were identified as 54-year-old Sivadas, also known as Sivan Thirumeni, of Perumthuruthy, Pathanamthita; 26-year-old Ahildas, husband of the deceased; and her 55-year-old father-in-law Das, both of Manarkad, Cathay.
The woman, who married Ahildas after a love affair, was attacked on November 2 during a ritual that lasted from 11 am to 9 pm. During the ritual, she was forced to drink alcohol, smoke beyids, cover her body with ashes, and endure other forms of physical abuse.
The ordeal took a serious toll on her mental health, prompting her father to file a police report. After filing a complaint, Sivadas was arrested at her residence. The mother-in-law of the deceased, who is also an accused in the case, is still hiding from the investigation.
The accused were produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class in Kottayam and remanded in judicial custody.
Published – November 8, 2025, 4:45 PM IST
