Woman arrested for kidnapping, locals allege occult angle

A 35-year-old woman was arrested here while she was allegedly trying to kidnap a two-year-old boy with police investigating claims of locals that she had abducted and murdered six more children earlier for occult activities.

The incident was reported from Bhalaswa Dairy in northwest Delhi last night and the accused Sheila was apprehended by locals who saw her throwing a child in a water pool after being confronted, a senior police official said.

"We have arrested the woman on charges of kidnapping," a senior police official said.

At around 10pm yesterday, locals saw a woman running away with a child.

They chased her and she threw the child in a water pool and tried to run away, the official said, adding the locals apprehended her and handed her over to the police.

"They also beat her up," the official said.

Locals alleged that the woman had kidnapped six children from the area and had killed them for occult activities.

Investigators said they were verifying the allegations.

"We have conducted searches at her house but have not found anything to prove this," the official said.

Sheila was living in a rented flat in the area along with her two children.

Investigators have recovered "religious material" from her house but investigators said it did not suggest she was involved in kidnapping and killing of minors.

A case has been registered.