Sambhal, Mar 28 (PTI) A gang that duped people with promises of 'Dhan Varsha' through occult rituals and sexually exploited women and girls under the guise of performing rites has been busted in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, police claimed on Thursday.

Fourteen members of the gang, which was active for the past 7 to 8 years across Etah, Agra, and Firozabad, have been apprehended and sent to jail, Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Kumar Bishnoi said.

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The case came to light on March 21 when Rajpal approached Dhanari police station, alleging that he was taken to an undisclosed location under the pretense of an occult ritual and barely escaped with his life, Bishnoi said.

Police registered a case of kidnapping and attempted murder following his complaint.

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Investigations revealed that the gang lured victims by showing fake videos of rooms filled with cash and promised returns ranging from Rs 5 crore to Rs 35 crore through supposed "supernatural" means, he said.

The gang also sexually exploited women and young girls under the pretext of performing rituals, police said.

Among those arrested are key occult practitioners and gang members, including Rinku, Ajab Singh, Durjan, Santosh, Raghuveer, Akash, Captain Singh, Sanjay Chauhan, DN Tripathi, Jai Prakash, Sonu, and Lal Singh, they said.

SP Bishnoi confirmed that all 14 accused have been sent to jail, and further investigations are underway.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)