COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lankan police on Monday said they had arrested two people in connection with the death of a 9-year-old girl who was repeatedly beaten during a ritual they believe would drive away an evil spirit.
The two suspects – the woman who carried out the exorcism and the girl’s mother – appeared in court on Monday to hear charges over the death of the girl, who was in Delgoda, a small town about 40 km northeast at the weekend. of the capital, Colombo. The court ordered that the suspects be detained until March 12.
According to Ajith Rohana, police spokesperson, the mother believed that her daughter was possessed by a demon and took her to the house of the exorcists so that a ritual could be performed to drive away the spirit.
Rohana said the exorcist first put oil on the girl and then repeatedly started beating her with a cane. When the girl lost consciousness, she was taken to a hospital, where she died. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.
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The woman who performed the ritual to the girl has been known in the area in recent months for offering such services, and police are investigating whether anyone else was abused, Rohana said.
Rohana urged the public to be careful with such services as the girl was not the first to die during such a ritual.