Bringing yourself to the police's attention

by Feòrag

India: A pair of occult practitioners are the main suspects in the disappearance of a pair of rare owls from a zoo and, for once the police might be being reasonable in their suspicions.

A zoo official said two local occult practitioners recently offered to purchase the birds for 30,000 rupees ($A890) each, but the park refused.

It fits in with the local magical traditions too:

Owls are usually captured for black magic rituals and sorcery by a number of Jharkhand tribes. Brown fish owls are also believed to bring good luck if kept at home.

The dried flesh, beak, claws, feathers and blood are used as ingredients in black magic spells.

Black magic suspected in bird theft—News.com.au, 20th May 2007.

Tags: India, superstition