UP Residents Accused of Using Spiritual Threats to Collect Money in Balod

Balod city police disclosed that three men originating from Uttar Pradesh were arrested for allegedly using spiritual threats to extort money from locals. The suspects—Vidya Sagar, his son Krishna Sagar, and Atul Pandey—were said to move from village to village under the pretext of seeking alms, while simultaneously displaying fear‑inducing rituals linked to black magic.

Investigators said the trio would intimidate people by claiming they could cast harmful spells unless a payment was made. Their activities spanned three days, during which they avoided registering their travel details, a violation that helped police trace them. The men were apprehended in different parts of Balod and handed over to the court, where they were remanded for further questioning.

The police have invoked sections of the BNSS to enforce preventive detention and have called on citizens to cooperate by reporting any similar incidents of occult‑based intimidation.