(VICE) A spiritual healer in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, who claimed to have the power to cure COVID-19 through kisses, has died of the same disease.
This “Baba” or self-styled holy man was apparently a black magic healer from the Ratlam district, who claimed he could cure his followers by “kissing their hands.”
“He got himself tested for coronavirus after he began having severe symptoms, and passed away immediately,” Ratlam’s District Magistrate Ruchika Chauhan told VICE over the phone. “From the contact tracing we have done so far, seven of his family members and thirteen followers have tested positive. We are investigating the transmission and trying to contain it.”
