The victim was taken to a hospital three days after being tortured where she died (Representational)
A 33-year-old woman died of alleged torture by an exorcist who branded her body, including private parts, with hot iron tongs and beat her up with a lathi purportedly to treat her infertility, police said on Monday.
Victim Sharda Devi of the Kamhara village of the district was admitted to the hospital on February 27, three days after being tortured, and died on Sunday during treatment, Puwayan Circle Officer Navneet Naik said.
Sharda Devi was married to Sarvesh but the couple did not have any child, said Mr Naik, adding that on her husband's insistence, she took the help of her brother-in-law Durvesh who also practised exorcism.
Durvesh convinced the family that Sharda was under the influence of a witch and needed to be beaten up to be rid of the evil spirit.
Accordingly, Durvesh allegedly first branded various parts of the woman's body, including the private ones, with hot iron tongs on February 24 and as she cried out of pain, he brutally beat her up with a lathi, saying all the pain is being inflicted to the witch, said police.
Following the woman's death, an FIR was lodged in Puwayan police station against five people, including the exorcist, on her parents' complaint.
Police is probing the matter and trying to arrest the accused, said Mr Naik.