Bundgarden Police Register Case for “Witchcraft” Harassment of Rickshaw-Driver’s Family in Pune
Bundgarden
In Pune’s Tadivala Road area the Bundgarden police have registered a case after a rickshaw-driver’s family was targeted with lemons smeared in turmeric-vermillion, threatening notes and black dolls for 15 days.
Pune, Maharashtra | Nov 19, 2025:- In a rare and disturbing incident of harassment, the Bundgarden Police Station in Pune registered a case under laws against inhuman and supernatural practices after a rickshaw‐driver’s family reported sustained “witchcraft” threats against them. The family of the driver, identified as 34-year-old Prashant Limbaraj Shedolkar of Tadivala Road, lodged the complaint after more than two weeks of repeated harassment that left them living in fear.
According to the complaint, the harassment began on November 2 when Prashant noticed a cut lemon smeared with turmeric-vermillion placed on a water pipe outside his home. In subsequent days, similar items — cut lemons with turmeric, threatening handwritten notes saying “your house will be destroyed”, black dolls and paper slips with abusive text — were found near their door, water drums, terrace and other parts of the home. The family recorded at least 15 separate incidents up to November 16, with the actions increasing in frequency and severity.
On one occasion, the note was placed inside a torn cloth bag near the grandmother’s house terrace, warning again that the household would meet dire consequences. The family reported that late at night, the items appeared under the cover of darkness, leaving them sleepless and frightened. Fearing escalation, they approached the police, who after reviewing the complaint and the gathered evidence booked a case under the Maharashtra Prohibition of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices Act. The family described the entire campaign as mental harassment and expressed concern that traditional superstitious methods were being used to intimidate them.
Investigating officer Assistant Inspector Arjun Mohite has confirmed that the case is being taken seriously. The sequence of threats — utilizing common symbols of superstition combined with personal targeting — suggests that the perpetrators intended to terrorize the family psychologically. The police are now gathering CCTV footage from the area, canvassing witnesses, collecting the handwritten notes and broken items, and are also examining the possibility of any known dispute or motive behind the harassment.
Local residents reported seeing several motor‐rickshaw drivers and other neighbours circle the house after dark, but none intervened. Some pointed to recent interpersonal tensions in the area as a possible lead. The victim’s family stated they believed the attacks were not random but targeted specifically at them, and they requested police protection for safety.
Psychologists say that harassment using superstition and ritual symbols can have a profound psychological impact on targeted individuals, especially when repeated over days. The dual impact of fear of unidentified perpetrators and the use of culturally rooted fears make such harassment especially distressing. The police commissioner’s office has issued a directive for increased patrolling in the Tadivala Road and surrounding areas until suspects are arrested.
This case shines light on a lesser‐discussed form of crime — not physical harm but sustained psychological terror using symbols and threats. As the investigation continues, the next steps will involve checking if similar complaints have been filed in the area, studying patterns and identifying any group or individuals with motive. The family has been provided contact details for relief services and the police have assured them of discrete surveillance and frequent visits.
For now, the family remains under protection and the community awaits swift action. The case stands as a reminder that harassment does not always take conventional forms — when fear is weaponised through ritual symbols and intimidation, the law must adapt to protect victims of modern psychological violence.
