Hyderabad: Father-son duo arrested for raping two sisters, practicing witchcraft

Police on Thursday arrested Syed Hassan Askari, 52, for raping a 35-year-old woman for more than a decade under the guise of relieving her from evil spirits by performing black magic.

Police also arrested his son Syed Afroz, who too raped the woman on several occasions.

Syed Hasan Askari, a faith healer, and his son Syed Afroz allegedly trapped two women from the old city on the pretext of curing illness using divine powers. Since one of them recovered, she developed faith in Hasan Askari.

Though the woman was being raped, she realized it only after she got to know that Syed Hassan Askari had also raped her younger sister, 23, on several occasions. She later approached the police.

Police registered a case against the father and son under Sections 376 (2) (n),420, 506 of the IPC and Section 7 of the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act.

In 2005, the victim's maternal uncle introduced Syed Hassan Askari to her. The victim used to visit him whenever she encountered any health-related problem.

The victim even divorced her husband in 2016 after Askari told her that he was an evil influence. He also made her believe that there was an evil spirit in their house. As a result, the sisters moved to a rented house in another locality of Hyderabad.

Subsequently, on some pretext, he made the two victims sell their house. He also convinced them to share some money with him.

SHO of Chandrayangutta police station K N Prasad Varma said Syed Hasan Askari used to chant some mantras, put lemons around her, and subsequently induce her into hypnotism. He said under the delusion she used to obey him. He then used to commit rape on her.