Four people were arrested in Anand district of Gujarat for allegedly forcing a man to dip his hands in boiling oil in a bid to compel him to confess a crime, a police official said here today.
According to Khanbhat division Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Bharti Pandya, the police arrested Jayendra Parmar and three others, including daughter and son-in-law of the victim, for allegedly causing hurt to extort a confession.
The matter came to light after one Kalabhai Talpada lodged a complaint at Virsad police station of Borsad taluka against his daughter Kanku, son-in-law Ranjit, Parmar and an exorcist Shivabhai, the police official said.
As per his complaint, Talpada, a resident of Dahevaan village of Borsad taluka, claimed that he, along with his son Arvind shifted their base to Bhuj 15 years ago and started residing near the hut of his daughter Kanku, who was married to Ranjit.
On May 15, someone stole cash and ornaments worth more than Rs 5 lakh from Kanku's hut when the couple was out of town, the police official said.
"After the couple came back, they held Talpada and Arvind responsible for the theft, since they lived near the hut. However, both father and son denied the charges levelled by Kanku and came back to their native village a day later," the police official said.
Meanwhile, to get their stolen cash and ornaments back, Talpada's daughter as well as Ranjit reached Dahevaan village and sought Parmar's help to make the father and son "confess" their alleged crime, the police official said.
"Talpada alleged that Parmar first asked them to confess to the crime. When they denied their involvement, Parmar floated the idea of dipping their hands into boiling oil at a temple to prove their innocence," the police official said.
