After an unnamed nine-year-old boy died of a viral infection earlier this year, his family dug up his grave in the hope of restoring him to life.
Soon after the boy's death, his family in the Indian province of Uttar Pradesh was contacted by a woman who claimed that she knew someone who could restore him to life by witchcraft. After consenting to the rituals to be used, the family then dug up the child's body from the cemetery near the village of Ganeshpur and sent it to the still-unnamed occultist. According to reports, the occultist performed the promised rituals over five days. When the resurrection attempt failed, family members assaulted the occultist and took a video of them tearing off his clothes.
After the video went viral on social media, local police began investigating the case. According to India.com, the occultist has been charged was charged under different sections of the Indian Penal Code. This includes "defacing the graves" and "instilling dread in the people." Half a dozen of the child's relatives have also been charged for the assault on the occultist and "spreading superstitious beliefs.". Most of the case details, including when the child died and when the body was disinterred, still haven't been made public.
Belief in the supernatural, and the power of many occultists, remains common in India's rural regions. This includes going to occultists for magical cures rather than seeking out medical help. A reported human sacrifice occurred in India's Assam province a month ago as part of an occult ceremony to heal a priest's mysterious illness. The victim's father and a temple priest have since been detained over the killing.
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