Torwa police make arrests after complaint of threats and black‑magic intimidation
Bilaspur police arrested four men after a complainant alleged that he was threatened with violence and forced to pay money while being subjected to occult intimidation at a local cremation ground, officials said. The arrests followed an investigation launched by Torwa Police Station Inspector (TI) Rajneesh Singh after a formal complaint was filed.
According to police sources, the complainant, identified as Suraj Sahu, said the group demanded ₹1 lakh to cover court and bail expenses for a relative who is in jail in connection with a knife attack. The accused also allegedly demanded that Sahu withdraw the criminal case against the jailed relative, and threatened to kill him if he refused.
Police said the accused used social media to recruit a person who posed as an occult practitioner to carry out rituals meant to intimidate the complainant. The ritual was conducted at the Deveri cremation ground (shmashan ghat), where photographs of the complainant, the jailed relative and, reportedly, the Chhattisgarh High Court Chief Justice were used during the ceremony, the sources said.
- Victim named as Suraj Sahu; alleged demand of ₹1 lakh.
- Rituals carried out at Deveri cremation ground to intimidate complainant.
- Four men arrested, including a 28‑year‑old who was hired via Instagram as an alleged tantrik.
Police identified the accused as Om Bole (described as the primary accused), his brother Priyanshu Bole — who is in custody in connection with the stabbing case — and two others, named as Tarun Bajaj and Mohd Israr. The person engaged through Instagram to perform the alleged occult rites was identified as Rishikesh Kumar, 28.
Investigating officers said the accused confronted Sahu to recover money they claimed to have spent on Priyanshu Bole’s legal proceedings. The group is alleged to have verbally abused Sahu, threatened him with murder and warned that they would invoke “divine wrath” through black‑magic rituals if their demands were not met.
TI Rajneesh Singh directed the probe after receiving the complaint. The investigation reportedly established links between the extortion demand and the activities at the cremation ground. Police traced the suspects across state borders and carried out operations to effect arrests. Three of the accused were said to have fled to Nagpur and were apprehended there, while the Instagram‑hired practitioner was arrested in connection with organising the ritual setup.
The matter was probed by Torwa Police Station following a written complaint by the victim, police said.
The arrests were described by police sources as part of an effort to interrupt what investigators termed a combined plot of extortion and psychological intimidation. The source material does not specify the exact charges registered, the sections of the Penal Code invoked or whether any recovery was made at the scene.
Local residents said the use of a cremation ground and images of a senior judge had heightened fear among those approached. Police officers emphasised that investigations are ongoing and that they are examining the role of each arrested person and whether there were further accomplices or additional criminal acts linked to the case.
| Name | Role as per police sources |
|---|---|
| Om Bole | Primary accused; led demand for money |
| Priyanshu Bole | Relative in jail in connection with a stabbing; motive for extortion |
| Tarun Bajaj | Accused participant in extortion and intimidation |
| Mohd Israr | Accused participant in extortion and intimidation |
| Rishikesh Kumar (28) | Alleged Instagram‑hired occult practitioner who organised ritual |
Police have not released further procedural details such as remand status or the date of any chargesheet filing. The ongoing probe will determine the precise offences for which the accused will be formally charged and whether any additional legal action is required.
