Mangalore:
The mysterious death of a three-year-old girl here, today led to protests by locals claiming that she died due to a suspected act of witchcraft, police said.
According to police, Priyanka the victim was yesterday taken by her neighbour Kamalaksha (72), a suspected black magic practitioner and his foster daughter to their house on the pretext of a religious ceremony.
When she did not return, her parents enquired about her but Kamalaksha told them that he sent the girl back in the evening itself, police said.
Suspecting Kamalaksha of practising black magic a crowd of locals ransacked his house, they said.
Police detained Kamalaksha and his foster daughter and are carrying out further investigations into the incident.
Meanwhile, a crowd pelted stones at the Kadri Police station here protesting the death of the girl, reacting to which the police lathicharged them.
The crowd had gathered in front of the police station shouting slogans against the two arrested, police said.