Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Jul 30: A family among sixty nomad families who were residing near Siguvani, N R Pura here for the last fifteen years and vacated their lands after getting scared by the predictions of an astrologer that black magic is performed in their lands and that they will vomit blood and die if they do not leave their lands, is found residing in a deserted area in Koteshwar.

Ganesh, head of the family, his wife Lalitha and children Geethanjali, Roopa and Manjunath are staying in a tent. The remaining families who migrated are said to be living in Kerala, Mangaluru, Bijjavalli and other places.

For the last two years unexplained deaths occurred to sixty families residing on government land in Siguvani, B H Kaimara, N R Pura, Chikkamagaluru for the last fifteen years. Thirty year old Ganesh says that more than fifteen people had died. “There were campaigns on government level for the last four years to permit them to stay on government land, but all of a sudden there were deaths in the community. The heads of anxious families asked astrologers at three places who told them that they will have to vacate land as a sorcerer had performed black magic and death is certain if they remained there. Two people died on July 26. Therefore, we have come out of the land,” said Ganesh.

Ganesh said that 22 people of the age between 40 and 50 and seven people between 25 and 28 years had died. “The government had sanctioned money for construction of temple two and a half years ago and Choudeshwari temple is constructed on this amount. Installation of Devi was not possible as astrologer had said that Rs four lac will be required for it,” he said.

“The astrologer had said that the land will have to be vacated before lunar eclipse to avoid trouble as the place is marred by ghosts. Therefore, we left behind our cattle and came here. We sacrificed hens as per his directions. It is not possible to stay permanently in a place. We do not know what to do,” he said.

Ganesh says that there are suspicions that land mafia is trying to seize the land by indulging in black magic. Demands for suitable investigations by government in this connection can be heard.