In Hindu folklore, the vetala is an evil spirit who haunts cemeteries and takes demonic possession of corpses. They make their displeasure known by troubling humans. They can drive people mad, kill children, and cause miscarriages.
A man in Kourakuen boasts about his pet Vetala and challenges the hero. After its defeat, the hero obtains the Earth Talisman.
Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE
"A type of Preta appearing in Hindu tradition. They are the most dangerous of all Preta. They possess the dead bodies of humans and are constantly plotting their return to the realm of the living. Their eyes glow with a dull light. Legends say that the Vetala wield secret arts and can raise the dead by chanting mantras. Vetala are considered the greatest of all evil spirits, and also a form of vampire. They suck the blood of their victims and bend them to their will, even controlling their movement like puppets. In Buddhist tradition, they are called Kondara or Metara."
—Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE Compendium
Vetala can be contracted in Shinagawa's Catacombs of the Templar Knight during the new moon phase. They appear in Ikebukuro as one of the demons contracted by punks and as one of the two final bosses of the Old Tokyo Metro instance.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
"A type of Preta in Hindu and Buddhist lore. Classified as "powerful ghosts," they have varying shapes and forms. They can control the dead and eat humans."
—Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Compendium
Shin Megami Tensei IV
Vetala acts as a guard of Shinjuku's entrance in the world of Infernal Tokyo, requiring payment to let people pass. When attempting to get the usual payment from Akira, he learns from Walter that he is trying to attack Shinjuku's leader and decides to punish his Neurishers, stating that he is next. He is scared by how strong the Samurai are as they defeat him and complains about how it isn't fair before dying.
Persona 3
One of Elizabeth's requests is to create a Vetala that has inherited the spell Maragi. This can be a difficult task as Vetala is stubborn about inheriting elemental magic. Fusing Pyro Jack with Chimera can result in a Vetala with the skill Maragi.
Persona 4
"A type of Preta in Hindu and Buddhist myth. Classified as 'powerful ghosts', they have varying shapes and forms. They can control the dead and eat humans."