India, Aug. 8 -- GORAKHPUR Kushinagar district police on Thursday recovered the decomposed body of a 10-year-old girl-16 days after it was allegedly exhumed for an occult ritual-and later in the day arrested four people, including the girl's mother and aunt, in connection with the case.

Kushinagar SP Santosh Kumar Mishra said the accused disinterred the body of the girl, identified as Gul Afshan Khatoon, under the influence of a self-proclaimed unidentified 'Tantrik' (occultist practitioner) who allegedly convinced them that the girl could be brought back to life by performing occult rituals.

The police identified those arrested as the girl's mother Zubaida Khatoon, aunt Shobita Khatoon and two other relatives Sharukh Khan and Tabarak. ...