Gujarat Teen, Thought To Be "Possessed", Starved, Tortured By Father, Dies

A 14-year-old girl died in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district as her father and his brother starved and tortured her thinking she had been "possessed", police said on Thursday. 

The horrific incident took place at Dhava village of Talala taluka, district Superintendent of Police Manoharsinh Jadeja told reporters.

The girl, Dhairya Akbari, was kept at her father Bhavesh Akbari's farm from October 1 to 7, he said.

"Bhavesh Akbari and his elder brother Dilip tortured the girl as they thought she had been possessed. She was not given food for seven days," the Superintendent of Police added.

Akbari, who lives in Surat, sent Dhairya to Dhava village three months ago after he thought that some 'evil spirits' had possessed her, affecting her behaviour.

On October 1, she was taken to the farm where she was tortured, starved and underwent black magic rituals, as per the First Information Report. The girl died on October 7.

Akbari and his brother then cremated her. Her maternal approached police after he became suspicious about her disappearance, which blew the lid off the crime.

Both the brothers were arrested, the police official said.

So far the investigators have not found the involvement of any occultist at the scene of the crime, but they would probe on whose advice the accused inflicted this inhuman ordeal on the girl, the Superintendent of Police said.