A woman in Maharashtra's Pune has complained that she was made to bathe publicly as part of a ritual so that she could conceive, according to reports.
The police has booked the husband and parents-in-laws of the 30-year-old woman based on her complaint, who alleged that she was made to bathe in a waterfall in front of people last year so that "she bears a child", according to The Indian Express.
The Express reported, "Last year, as per instructions of the Maulana, the woman was allegedly forced by her husband and in-laws to take a bath under a waterfall in front of many others in Raigad district, so that she would 'bear a child'."
The Express further reported that the woman married a businessman in 2013 and he and his family had been harassing her over financial issues. The bathing incident was also not the first time she was subjected to rituals. The husband of the woman was in contact with a maulana from Kolhapur, who also allegedly performed black magic on her for "profits in the business".
"The couple did not have children. On the advice of the tantrik, the woman was taken to a waterfall in Raigad district and forced to take bath in front of everyone. A probe is underway," The Free Press Journal quoted an official as saying.
The husband and the in-laws of the woman have been charged with the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Domestic Violence Act, and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, according to reports.
The Express reported that IPC sections include 498 (a), 323, 420, 504, 406 and 34.
Section 498 (a) of IPC relates to the subjection of a woman to cruelty by husband or relative of husband, section 323 relates to voluntarily causing hurt. Section 420 pertains to cheating. Section 504 pertains to intentionally insulting a person with intent to harm public peace. Section 406 pertains to criminal breach of trust and section 34 deals with an a criminal act being done by multiple persons.
