Rafi, a self proclaimed godman who made an 18-year-old girl stand on burning coal to treat her illness in Telangana’s Naskal village, Vikarabad, district was arrested by the police.
Rafi, used to run a ‘cure’ camp at a dargah every Friday where a large number of people came to get solutions to their various problems.
The victim, a first-year undergraduate student from Kukinda village in the district, was suffering from an illness and was not getting healed by regular medication.
After reportedly receiving advice from a few villagers, her parents took her to the self-styled godman, Rafi, of Naskal village, for treatment on Friday, May 13.
It is alleged that the self-styled godman told the girl’s parents that the 18-year-old was in the grip of bad spirits and needed to be exorcised by some spiritual practice. Rafi allegedly made the girl stand on burning coal. The girl suffered third-degree burns and was rushed to a private hospital for treatment.
After the incident was reported by regional media, police sprung into action. Based on the girl’s statements, police arrested the self-styled godman, Rafi, who was sent to judicial custody by a local court.
A separate complain was lodged by Debashis on behalf of Rationslists’ and Humanists’ Forum of India. Debashis said that the claim that Rafi made of curing people from their illness using super-natural power, falls under Objectionable Advertisement- Drugs and magic Remedies act and also violates Objectionable Advertisement- Drugs and Cosmetics act.
RATIONALIST DEBASHIS 