Sri Lankan police said Monday they had arrested two people in connection with the death of a 9-year-old girl who was repeatedly beaten during a ritual they believed would drive away an evil spirit. The two suspects – the woman who carried out the exorcism and the girl’s mother – were due to appear in court on Monday to hear charges over the girl’s death, which took place over the weekend in Delgoda, a small town about 40 miles northeast of the capital. , Colombo.
Sudath Pubudu Keerthi / AP
According to police spokeswoman Ajith Rohana, the mother believed her daughter was possessed by a demon and took her to the exorcist’s house so that a ritual could be performed to ward off the spirit.
Rohana said the exorcist first put oil on the girl and then started hitting her repeatedly with a stick. When the girl lost consciousness, she was taken to a hospital, where she died. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday.
The woman who performed the girl’s ritual was known in the area because she had provided such services in recent months, and police were investigating whether anyone else had been abused, Rohana said.
Rohana urged the public to pay attention to such services, as the girl was not the first to die during such a ritual.