The Hyderabad Police found multiple incriminating footages after at least 16 con artists were arrested from the city as part of a crackdown on dens of black magic. The footages revealed disturbing images of children being stripped and tortured. Amongst the conmen is a 38-year-old self-proclaimed tantrik, Faiyaz Mehmood Ansari.
Ansari was arrested on the complaint of a man who alleged that he had kidnapped, tortured and attempted to kill his 12-year-old boy. In one video, the fake healer is seen pouring what appears to be boiling water on the legs of the child as he screams in pain.
The police said that Ansari had also misled the boy's mother, telling her that evil spirits had possessed her son. The boy's mother was allegedly present when he was pierced with a blade at multiple places on his body, physically abused and kept nude for hours.
"There are about 30 videos of Ansari torturing naked children including a girl child. The videos show children tied up, pricked with needles...molten wax is poured on private parts and he is seen violating them," V Satyanarayana, a senior police officer, was quoted saying to the Hindustan times.
Targeting and exploiting gullible women, Ansari reportedly migrated to Hyderabad from Maharashtra four years ago. Through offering occult counselling online, he also allegedly cheated non-resident Indians in Canada, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Qatar. "Ansari has even claimed that he was trained by controversial cleric Zakir Naik. That still needs to be verified,'' said the officer.
Along with Ansari, 35-year-old Anwarullah Khan, who calls himself "Disco Baba", was also arrested.
A self-proclaimed Unani doctor, Khan allegedly cheated people by telling his patients that hidden treasure in their home was the reason for their illness. He would then pretend to perform rituals and produce fake gold biscuits and fake diamonds.
The complaint of a businessman, Syed Iftekar Hussan, who was cheated out of Rs. 35 lakh, led to Khan's arrest.
In the video below, Khan can be seen dancing in a glittery white costume in front of amused police officials and also a local lawmaker.
