Carabinieri police on Saturday arrested three people over whom a 43-year-old man was killed during Islamic exorcism rite on February 10 in the town of Salassa, near Turin, sources said.
It was initially thought that the man had died of a drug overdose but an autopsy showed that he had suffocated.
This triggered a probe in which Carabinieri based in Ivrea found evidence allegedly linking the death to an attempted exorcism.
The victim had previously needed hospital treatment, allegedly following a past attempted exorcism.
The suspects are the victim's ex-wife, his brother and his uncle, who allegedly led the ritual.
The two men were jailed while the woman was placed under house arrest.
The victim and the suspects are all of North African origin.
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