After human sacrifice case, Kerala woman detained for running black magic centre

A woman accused of practising black magic was taken into custody from Kerala's Pathanamthitta district where an incident of suspected human sacrifice was reported earlier in which three persons were arrested, police said on Thursday.

A centre at Malayolapuzha in the district came under the scanner of the locals after a video of the woman, now in the custody of the police, engaged in some rites being practised, especially on children who were weak in studies, surfaced.

On Thursday morning, angry youth activists belonging to all the three leading political parties, CPI-M, Congress and the BJP, marched towards the centre where the woman was engaged in doing her the rites.

Shouting slogans against superstitions and black magic, the activists reached the house and by then the police also arrived and after a while the woman was taken away.

Reacting to this, State Health Minister Veena George, who also hails from the district, said the state government views the happenings at the centre where children were being used in the black magic act very seriously.

"Very strong action will be taken against those who use children as objects and the need of the hour is all should come together and see that there should be a total awareness against these things," said George.