A 40-year-old woman in Maharashtra’s Thane district allegedly lost ₹5.6 lakh to a group of fraudsters who promised to uncover hidden treasure beneath her house using black magic rituals.
According to the police, the accused convinced the woman that valuable items were buried under her home and offered to perform occult rituals to recover the treasure.
The group allegedly collected ₹4 lakh in cash and gold worth ₹1.6 lakh from the victim under the pretext of conducting the rituals.
The accused also allegedly buried ritual items to reinforce their claims and instil fear in the woman before fleeing with her valuables.
Following a complaint, Ulhasnagar police registered a case of extortion, cheating and criminal intimidation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Anti-Superstition Act.
Police have launched an investigation and formed a team to trace the accused, who remain absconding.
