Meerut, Aug 20 (IANS): A resident of Uttar Pradesh's Meerut district has sought divorce on grounds that his wife, under the influence of a 'tantrik' (shaman), was giving him only 'laddoos' to eat.

The man approached a family court where he said that on the instructions of the 'tantrik', his wife gave him four laddoos to eat in the morning and four in the evening. He was not given or allowed to eat anything else in between.

The couple has been married for 10 years and have three children.

The man said that he had been ailing for some time and his wife approached the 'tantrik' who asked her to make her husband eat only the laddoos.

Officials at the family counselling centre were puzzled over the pretext for seeking divorce.

"We can call the couple for counselling, but we can not treat the woman for being superstitious. She firmly believes that the laddoos will cure her husband and is unwilling to accept otherwise," said a counsellor.