Cops detail ‘djinn’ ritual, use of women’s images in Peeragarhi triple murder case

NEW DELHI: The investigation into the Peeragarhi triple murder case has revealed disturbing details about the activities of the arrested occultist, including allegedly asking clients to send photographs of women and promising them ‘dhanvarsha’ after a ‘djinn’ establishes ‘physical contact’ with them, police said on Friday.

Kamruddin alias Baba, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad, was arrested on Thursday and sent to five-day police remand in connection with the killing of three people whose bodies were found inside an abandoned car on the Peeragarhi flyover on February 8.

During the probe, police found that the accused allegedly prepared a lethal mixture of ‘sulphas’ (aluminium phosphide, a controlled pesticide), sleeping pills and cold drink, which the three victims were made to consume, leading to their immediate death.

Police are questioning a man from Firozabad suspected to have supplied sulphas, while efforts are underway to ascertain the source of the sleeping pills and how the accused learnt to prepare the toxic mixture.

Investigators found multiple photographs of girls and women in victim Laxmi’s phone. In the images, the women were seen standing with their hair open and holding papers mentioning personal details. The photos were allegedly circulated in groups and shared across multiple contacts.

According to police, Kamruddin allegedly promised his clients a windfall (‘dhanvarsha’) if they paid him around Rs 2 lakh, and had a woman in their family matching specific physical descriptions -- tall, with long hair --through whom a ‘djinn’ would establish ‘physical contact’ without the person realising it.

When clients raised doubts after no results, he allegedly cited reasons such as the woman being bitten by an animal or having undergone surgery.

Police said he also trapped victims by claiming he could perform surgical procedures without stitches and allegedly charged up to Rs 7,000 per visit.

A ‘djinn mantra’ was recovered from the pocket of victim Naresh, while analysis of call records led investigators to the accused. Police said Laxmi had shared the accused’s location with Naresh, which helped them track him.

Kamruddin is officially linked to six murder cases across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, while police suspect his role in two more killings. When police reached his residence in Loni posing as clients seeking treatment for a child, he allegedly tried to flee by jumping a 15-foot wall but was later caught.

Locals in his neighbourhood allegedly feared him as he would threaten people during disputes and leave suspicious objects outside their homes to intimidate them. He also allegedly asked clients to switch their phones to flight mode during meetings.

Police widened the probe into his finances and possible interstate links, and may attach properties in Firozabad. The 72-year-old allegedly lured distressed victims and poisoned them. Sections 103 and 123 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita were invoked; more victims are suspected.