Mumbai News: Black Magic Materials Found Outside Bombay HC Gates, Anti-Superstition Activists Condemn Incident

Mumbai: Groups campaigning against occult practices and superstitions have condemned an incident on Monday where a pile of materials purportedly used for black magic, like a black voodoo doll, a coconut, lemons, and colour, was found outside the gates of the Bombay High Court.

Madhav Bavge of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, which was instrumental in the enactment of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice, other Inhuman and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, said the incident was a blot on the city, the country's financial capital.

"The city seems to be becoming the capital of black magic," said Bavge, who offered help to the administration to trace the culprits who can be tried under the law.

Babge said that more than a thousand cases have been registered across the state under the law with their help. "Maharashtra has a law against black magic, but it looks as if there is not much awareness about the law," Bavge added.

The law was drafted by anti-superstition activist and founder of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), Narendra Dabholkar, who was murdered in Pune on August 20, 2013.

The discovery of the 'utara' used in witchcraft shocked lawyers and litigants visiting the court. There were reports that similar materials were kept outside the four gates of the court. There was initial reluctance by housekeeping staff to remove the material, which was finally disposed of in the evening. There are reports that similar incidents have happened in the past.

Lawyers said the incident should be ignored. "As long as judges give judgments based on law and lawyers are loyal to their clients, juthe diciary will remain at its zenith. People and litigants putting so-called black magic stuff outside the High Court will not affect the will of the Judges if they want to do justice," a lawyer remarked.