Six held for killing mother-daughter duo in Odisha’s Sundargarh

Sundargarh: The district police have arrested as many as six persons for allegedly killing a woman and her daughter at Gaidega village under Chandiposh police limits.

The arrested have been identified as Sunil Ekka (26), Anil Ekka (20), Etua Ekka (34), Bodra Kerketa (28), Champa Kerketa (30) and Manga Toppo (52). Another accused, Kustam Toppo (28), has absconded.

A case has been registered against them under Sections 458, 460, 302, 201, 34, 120 (B) and 213 of the IPC.

One Sania Ekka of the village had recently died due to illness and some villagers were suspecting the involvement of Gangi Kerketa behind the death claiming that she was practising sorcery and possessed by an evil spirit.

A kangaroo court was held in the village on September 9, where Gangi and her five-year-old daughter were sentenced to death. The mother-daughter duo was tied to an electric pole and thrashed to death by the accused. The bodies were then thrown into Brahmani river.

While body of the woman was recovered by police from a river ghat in Bonai area in the district on September 13, body of her daughter was still missing.