A 42-year-old tantrik, arrested for allegedly conspiring to murder a businessman, died in police custody in Ahmedabad on Sunday. He had reportedly confessed to killing 12 people by offering them drinks containing a chemical.
The Sarkhej police apprehended Navalsinh Chavda at around 1 am on December 3 while he was en route to commit the crime. His business partner in a taxi venture, who was aware of the plot, informed the authorities, an official stated.
Police secured Chavda’s remand until 3 pm on December 10 to investigate his occult practices and potential involvement in human sacrifices. “Around 10 am on Sunday, Chavda fell ill and was rushed to the civil hospital in an ambulance, but the doctors declared him dead on arrival. The accused confessed to 12 murders during interrogation and all deaths had occurred due to consumption of sodium nitrite,” the official informed.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shivam Verma said that the accused confessed to committing 12 murders by administering sodium nitrite dissolved in water to his victims during occult rituals.
According to Verma, the accused admitted to killing a man in Ahmedabad, six individuals in Surendranagar—including three members of his own family—three in Rajkot and one each in Wankaner (Morbi district) and Anjar (Kutch district).
Verma further noted that the accused confessed to murdering a man whose body was discovered in the Aslali area of Ahmedabad in August 2021. While initially believed to be a road accident, a post-mortem examination later revealed the cause of death to be poisoning.
The Gruesome Crimes in Past
The investigation has also uncovered that the accused had previously murdered his grandmother around 14 years ago, as well as his mother and uncle a year ago, according to Verma.
Police reports indicate that Chavda obtained sodium nitrite, a chemical commonly used in dry cleaning, from a laboratory in his hometown of Surendranagar.
Several of his victims died from heart attacks due to poisoning, while the circumstances surrounding the deaths of others remain under investigation, the official stated.
Chavda learned about the chemical from another tantrik. The substance would take effect 15 to 20 minutes after ingestion, causing a heart attack or other fatal conditions, the official explained.
The accused referred to himself as a “bhuvaji” and claimed to possess the ability to perform magic and miracles. He also ran an ashram in Wadhwan, Surendranagar, where he practised black magic.
He would offer to enhance his victims’ wealth or resolve their issues, the police added. Incriminating evidence, including ritual items and white powder, was found in Chavda’s vehicle.
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