UK cops caution against ‘tantriks’

PALMREADING, HOROSCOPES AND OTHER SERVICES ARE OFFERED IN AREAS WITH INDIAN POPULATIONS

LONDON: Police in Leicester in the east Midlands, home to a large minority of Indian origin, have cautioned the community against using the services of ‘babas’, bogus faith healers and 'tantriks', who promise love, luck and lucre for a price.

Many people have fallen prey, parting with thousands of pounds without any results. One healer, who called himself “Kamal-ji” and conned many in the UK, the US and Canada, was jailed last year, and another faced the same fate last week.

Leicester police official Adam Makepeace said: “The practice of spiritual healers... is mainly associated with the Asian subcontinent and Africa. These individuals are known to advertise their services within those communities.

“These people are committing fraud and we encourage anyone approached in these circumstances to contact the authorities. The aim of the campaign was to educate communities and raise awareness that these people can’t perform miracles and no one should contact them or recommend their services.”

Last year, the nine-year prison term of Kamal-ji, whose real name is Mohammed Ashrafi, was extended by five years because he failed to pay back £613,500 conned from his victims.

Sachdev Virdee of the Asian Rationalist Society Britain told HT: "I appeal to the Asian community that now is the time to wake up, think logically and understand that ‘tantrics’ and ‘babas’ have no extraordinary powers than what you have.”