5 booked for practicing witchcraft in Shahpur

Five villagers have been arrested for allegedly practising witchcraft in Shahapur area of Thane district, police said Friday. According to inspector Ghanshyam Adhav of Shahapur police station, on May 1, at around 10:30pm, residents of Laxman Nagar in Gotheghar alerted police about some people indulging in black magic in one of the houses there.

"We raided the house and found two hens, cut lemons, incense sticks, coloured powder and other items apparently used in black magic," he said. He identified the five arrested persons as Laxman Adhikari (63) of Saralambe, Ankush Tople (41) of Khativali, Akshay Pawar (21) of Shelavali, Ram Banse (35) of Gotheghar and Jairam Vishe (70) of Bidis.

They have been charged under sections 3 and 4 of TheMaharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, he added.