Brothers arrested after 'luring their mother to a ritual sacrifice where her eyes were gouged out and she was beaten to death'

Two brothers are alleged to have asked a witch to beat their mother to death in a ritual sacrifice to bring them good luck.

The brothers were among ten people arrested for the murder of Budhabai Dore, 65, after she was found in a shallow grave in Nashik, Maharashtra, India.

The occultist is alleged to have gouged out Ms Dore's eyes and buried her nearby. Their sister, who was also to be sacrificed, managed to escape with her life.

Human sacrifice has been taboo in mainstream Hindu culture for many hundreds of years, but certain tantric cults and minority religions from the subcontinent remain notorious for the practice.

The incident, alleged to have taken place around the Diwali festival in late October, only came to light a few days ago after a local social worker contacted police.

Police said the brothers travelled to a remote village to consult occultist Bachchi-bai Narayan Khadke, 42, for help after suffering a run of bad luck.

District superintendent of police Sanjay Mohite told the Times Of India: 'Govind Pona Dore and his brother Kashinath had contacted with Khadke, who was suspected of practising black magic, and her assistant Bugabai Mahadu Veer of Takay Harsh village.

'The suspected tantric had told the two brothers they needed to exorcise the ghosts.'

They took both women to Khadke, while the occultist's assistant, Bugabai Mahadu Veer, also brought along her 80-year-old relative, Kashibai Veer, to take part in the ritual.

The brothers are then alleged to have joined the occultist and her assistant in a savage beating of both women and their sister, Rahibai Pingle, who ironically had originally referred them to Khadke.

The attacks continued over several days, police said, during which the victims were also stripped naked and starved of food. 

Zee News reports that Khadke gouged out Ms Dore's eyes before killing her.

Ms Dore and Ms Veer are believed to have died sometime between October 30 and October 31.
 

Ms Pingle was able to get away, but her injuries were so bad her brothers assumed she had died and did not bother trying to find her. 

She was able to later get in touch with local social worker Bhagwan Madhe, who told police.

Police have arrested both brothers, Khadke, Veer, and six others on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and various sections of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.

- DAILY MAIL UK