‘Priest,’ aides booked for cheating woman of Rs16L

Trichy: A self-styled shaman priest and his two associates were booked in Trichy on Saturday for cheating a woman of Rs16 lakh in 2019 by promising to break ‘witchcraft curses' and sell her a piece of land.The victim, R Banureka, 54, a resident of Melakalkondarkottai in Trichy, approached the shaman, Rajali Periyasamy, in Srirangam in July 2019 seeking help to resolve serious issues in her family. Rajali Periyasamy claimed that her husband, Raveendran, faced a grave threat to his life caused by witchcraft. He assured her that this danger could be completely eliminated through powerful special rituals.The shaman then persuaded Banureka to make an ‘auspicious expenditure' to counter the alleged sorcery. He also convinced her to buy a plot of land he supposedly owned in Trichy city, demanding Rs16 lakh for the transaction. Trusting his assurances, Banureka handed over the full amount in cash. However, Periyasamy never transferred the land to her, even after several years.Realizing she had been deceived, Banureka filed a police complaint. Initially, authorities issued only a community service register (CSR) entry. Following investigation, Srirangam crime police formally registered a case on Saturday against Rajali Periyasamy, Thangam, and Suresh under sections 420 and 506(2) of Indian Penal Code. The matter remains under investigation. The accused are yet to be arrested.