Gujarat Child Murder Sparks Debate on Superstition-Driven Crimes

A four-year-old girl was allegedly murdered in Gujarat in what authorities suspect was a superstition-driven crime, sparking calls for stricter laws against such practices. BJP MLA Abesinh Tadvi has urged “exemplary punishment” to deter future incidents.

 The accused, reportedly of unsound mind, allegedly killed the child as part of a tantrik practice, according to his police statement. “It appears that this brutal killing has been committed as part of superstition. It has anguished me and tainted the image of the community,” Tadvi told reporters, adding that he had spoken to Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi about imposing the death penalty to prevent similar incidents.

According to the FIR filed by the victim’s mother, the accused “dragged the child from her custody into his house, where he hacked her to please the gods.” District police officials are investigating whether the accused acted alone or was influenced by external beliefs.

This case has reignited concerns over superstition-driven violence in India. In 2023, over 100 cases of human sacrifice and black magic-related crimes were reported across the country, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Experts say that many such crimes go unreported due to fear and deep-rooted cultural beliefs.

During Holi celebrations, a ritual is observed in various regions of North India, people leave diyas and worship materials at intersections, believing they absorb negative energy. If someone unknowingly steps over them, they fear inheriting the bad luck.. 

Renu Kumar, resident of Rohini, Delhi  says, “It is a belief that if you ward off the evil eye and place the ingredients at an intersection, it takes away negative energy and various problems. If someone crosses over those ingredients, the negative energy gets transferred to them.”

“We were always told not to leave the house 3-4 days before Holi and sometimes after as well.” says another resident, Rahul Kumar, 

It has been known to cause stress, if one passes over the material kept at cross sections, believing that someone else’s problems are now their burden. This ritual is not usually discussed and is passed down from one generation to the next due to the nature of the belief.

Several villages in Uttarakhand were noticed not celebrating the festival of holi, in interviews conducted by Times of India, it was found that Holi celebrations were ceased due to a superstition. The belief is that if the community celebrates the festival it will bring disaster and decease. In one of those villages, Holi has not been celebrated for 90 years, because a ‘Cheer bandhan’ flag that marked the start of the festival was stolen and no one dared to start the tradition again. Communities threatened to take adverse actions against anyone to tries to fight the superstition, instilling the need to follow these superstitions out of fear. 

While some rituals are cultural, others have resulted in severe consequences, including murder, ostracization, and mental distress. Social scientists say that superstition-based fears, once passed down through generations, become ingrained and difficult to break.

Sociologist Dr. Stuart Vyse told the American Psychological Association, “In the modern age, we adopt science and reason as our standards. When we call something superstitious, it’s because it doesn’t meet those criteria and doesn’t fit with that worldview.”

In response to rising superstition-related crimes, activists have urged the government to strengthen laws and raise awareness about the dangers of blind faith. While states like Maharashtra and Karnataka have laws against black magic and human sacrifice, experts argue that more stringent enforcement is needed nationwide.

With growing concerns over superstition’s impact on society, lawmakers and activists continue to push for education and legal measures to prevent further tragedies.