Man forced to dance on burning coal over suspicion of practising black magic in Thane

THANE: Police have registered a case after some persons in Maharashtra's Thane district allegedly forced a 75-year-old man to dance on burning coal as a punishment over suspicion that he practised black magic, an official said on Thursday. The man suffered burn injuries in the incident which took place in Kervele village in Murbad taluka on March 4, he said, adding that a probe was on into the case.

In a video, which went viral on social media, some persons are seen holding the man by his hands and a crowd shouting and cheering as he is forced to dance on the burning coal.

A religious event was organised by locals near a temple in the village and at that time 15-20 persons allegedly barged into the man's house, pulled him out, took him to place of event and forced him to dance on burning coal, Murbad police station inspector Pramod Babar said.

Some of the villagers alleged he was practising black magic and also beat him up, he said.

The man suffered burn injuries on his feet and back, the police said.

After a complaint by his family members, the police on Tuesday registered an FIR against some persons under Indian Penal Code sections 452 (house-trespass, having made preparation for causing hurt, assault, etc,) 323, 324 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 143 (unlawful assembly) and 147 (rioting) and provisions of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice, other Inhuman and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, the official said.