Vetala (वेताल)

In Hindu cosmology, Vetalas are believed to be a type of Preta, one of the four classes of beings in the afterlife. They are described as being associated with death and corpses.

Vetalas are often depicted as skeletal beings, sometimes described as having a strong connection to corpses and graveyards.

Vetalas are said to be able to possess human bodies for malicious purposes and manipulate death and the corpse. They can also be bound by certain restrictions or rituals that prevent them from carrying out their malevolent actions.