KENDRAPADA/SAMBALPUR: Two men were killed in different parts of the state on Monday on suspicion of practising witchcraft. While a 55-year-old man was killed by villagers at Bantapatana in Kendrapada, a 50-year-old man was beaten to death at Dimirikuda in Sambalpur district.
In Kendrapada, Manicharana Sahoo was killed by three men - Aaju Moharana and his sons Bipin and Gulu. According to the statement of Laxmipriya (74) - mother of deceased - to the police, the three attacked Manicharana with a shovel and bamboo sticks. "We have registered a murder case and have begun investigation with the help of a forensic team. The three have fled and we have formed a team to nab them. We have filed a case against the three under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of IPC and under Section 4 of the Odisha Prevention of Witch-hunting Act, 2013," said Sandhyarani Beura, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Pattamundai.
In Sambalpur, Shukru Majhi was killed by a mob of five led by his neighbour Sanju Majhi (32). P K Meher, SDPO, Rairakhol, said the two had a running feud. "Hostilities began after Sanju's four-year-old son died due to fever some four years back. He suspected that the child died due to black magic performed by Shukru," he said.
Odisha fourth state to enact Act against witch-hunting Police said the men armed with sticks and an axe barged into Shukru's house and mercilessly beat him up. His wife, Ratani Majhi, was in the backyard. After beating Shukru, the men searched for Ratani, who fled the spot. When she returned, she found her husband lying unconscious. Other villagers rushed a bleeding Shukru to the hospital, where he was declared dead.
Anjali Kumbhar, inspector in-charge (IIC) of Kisinda police station, said, following Ratani's complaint, police detained Sanju. Police have seized the sticks and the axe.
In 2013, Odisha became the fourth state in the country after Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to enact the Odisha Prevention of Witch-hunting Act. "But witchcraft is still prevalent in many villages," said Amarabara Biswal, a social worker from Kendrapada district.
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