Colombo, April 8 -- A group of men who undertook to perform rituals to dispel malefic effects that had befallen a family had fled with jewellery valued at Rs. 3.8 million.

The victim was a trishaw operator in Chilaw who fell prey to a soothsayer frequenting Munneswaran Kovil. The soothsayer had warned him of a possible disaster befalling his family due to the evil planetary influence and undertook to perform rituals to dispel it.

As appointed the soothsayer called on his house and started the rites. He advised the owner of the house to put all the jewellery worn by them in a pot and hand over it to him to be blessed. After the rites the exorcist had returned the pot and advised the owner of the house to place it in the shrine room and n...