Man kills mother over witchcraft suspicion in Mayurbhanj

Balasore: A man was arrested for allegedly murdering his mother on suspicion of practising witchcraft at Kalarafulia village under Betnoti police station limits in Mayurbhanj district on Thursday. The accused has been identified as Tapan Singh (33). He allegedly attacked his mother, Raimani Singh (60), with a sharp weapon, killing her on the spot.According to police sources, Tapan had long believed that his mother was responsible for his wife’s repeated miscarriages. His wife, Gurubari Singh, had left the matrimonial home two months ago and has been staying with her parents following frequent domestic disputes.Villagers said Tapan had been behaving abnormally for the past few months and often accused his mother of causing his misfortunes. He was also addicted to alcohol and frequently demanded money from Raimani, who worked as a daily-wage labourer. When she refused, he would allegedly assault her.On Thursday morning, while Raimani was preparing food, Tapan again demanded money. When she refused, he allegedly attacked her with a sharp weapon, resulting in her death.Betnoti police rushed to the spot after receiving information, seized the murder weapon, and sent the body for post-mortem examination. A scientific team also visited the crime scene.Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of Betnoti police station Sasmita Mahanta said, “Investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events. The role of superstition and possible mental health issues is also being examined,” she said.