Nine-year-old girl dies due to exorcist’s merciless beating

• Witchcraft ritual was being performed to cure an illness
• The child had been taken to the exorcist by her mother 

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya and sudath pubudu keerthi  

A tragic death of a nine-year-old girl was reported in the Meegahawatta police area on Saturday night whilst a witchcraft ritual was being performed to cure an illness reported to have been caused by an evil spirit. 

The child had lost consciousness after being continually lashed with a whip and was rushed to the Biyagama Hospital where she was pronounced dead on admission. The police arrested the exorcist and the child’s body was referred for a post-mortem examination and the magisterial inquest was to be conducted yesterday. 

• The police arrested the exorcist and the child’s body was referred for a post-mortem