A self-styled godman has been arrested in Maharashtra’s Jalna district for allegedly harassing a man and abetting his suicide after pressuring him to hand over his five-year-old daughter for an occult ritual. The Jalna police confirmed the arrest of the accused, identified as Ganesh Lokhande (45), on 6 March in connection with the death of Dnyaneshwar Aher (30), a resident of Walsa Wadla village in Bhokardan tehsil.

According to a press release issued by the police, Inspector Kiran Bidve stated that Aher was found hanging from a tree on 3 March. Subsequent investigations revealed that Lokhande had been coercing Aher to give up his daughter for a sacrificial ritual aimed at uncovering hidden treasure. Lokhande has now been charged under the Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Act, as per PTI reports.