Ahmedabad ‘Bhuva’ Accused of Sexually Assaoulting Woman During Ritual, Threatening Her with Black Magic

A 27-year-old married woman was allegedly raped by a 'bhuva' who exploited her isolation during a ceremony to address domestic problems and financial hardship in Ahmedabad’s Kubernagar area. The accused, identified as Deepak Parmar, allegedly threatened to use black magic against her if she disclosed the incident.

The woman’s family initially approached a community panchayat in an attempt to resolve the matter, but the efforts failed. She subsequently lodged a complaint with Sardarnagar police, who registered a case and launched an investigation. Parmar has reportedly fled.

Husband Sent Away to Place Lemon at Crossroads

According to the complaint, the woman’s family had been facing financial difficulties for a long time, while her mother-in-law was frequently ill. The family contacted Parmar, a resident of Mahajanvas in Kubernagar who was known as a bhuva, or ritual healer .

On the evening of October 3, Parmar visited the woman’s home. He reportedly tied a white cloth in front of the household shrine, examined prayer beads and scattered grains before claiming that an external spiritual influence was affecting the woman. He allegedly said a ritual would have to be performed in isolation in an upstairs room.

• The accused allegedly told the family that the woman was affected by an external spiritual influence and required a ritual.
• He allegedly sent the woman’s husband to place a lemon at a crossroads about two kilometres away.
• The woman alleged that the accused raped her and threatened her with black magic if she spoke about the incident.

Alleged Assault During Ritual

Parmar then took the woman upstairs, seated her on a bed, passed a lemon over her head and sprinkled water on her. He allegedly touched her intimate areas and subjected her to unwanted physical intimacy.

He subsequently demanded ₹25,000 to perform another ritual involving a river bath. The amount was eventually settled at ₹17,000, according to the complaint. Parmar later took the couple to a riverbank, where he performed the bathing ritual. That night, he reportedly asked the woman to sit with him again in the upstairs room.

He then handed her husband a lemon and instructed him to place it at a crossroads about two kilometres away. After the husband left, Parmar allegedly made the woman lie on the bed and pressured her to have sexual relations with him, claiming that the family’s circumstances would not improve otherwise.

He allegedly raped her before threatening to use black magic against her if she told anyone about the incident. Parmar subsequently fled, the complaint states.

Community Mediation Fails, Police Register Case

Fearing social stigma, the family initially raised the matter before the community panchayat in an attempt to reach a settlement. However, those efforts failed to produce a resolution.

The woman then approached Sardarnagar police and lodged a complaint. Police registered a case and initiated further investigation.