The State government on Thursday informed the Kerala High Court that it would consider introducing the Kerala Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices, Sorcery and Black Magic Bill, 2019 in the next session of the Assembly.
The submission was made by State Attorney N. Manoj Kumar when a writ petition seeking a directive to the State government to take a decision on the recommendation of the State Law Reforms Commission for the enactment of a law against superstitious practices such as sorcery and black magic came up for hearing.
The petition was filed by Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham. The petition also sought a directive to the State government to constitute a special team to conduct a proper investigation or reinvestigation in the case relating to the missing persons reported during the last 50 years, in the backdrop of the human sacrifices at Elanthoor in Pathanamthitta.
The petitioner pointed out that the governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka had enacted laws against such practices. However, the Kerala government was reluctant to take steps for enacting such laws despite reporting of incidents such as human sacrifices and practice of black magic. The victims of such black magic and witchcraft were mostly children and women.
It also pleaded for a directive to the State Police Chief to conduct searches to find out black magic and witchcraft centres in the State and take action against them under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954 and other relevant laws.
