Suspected of practicing sorcery, man murdered in Odisha

Malkangiri: Despite the implementation of Odisha Prevention of Witch Hunting Act, 2013, witchcraft-related violence continues unabated in tribal-dominated areas of the State, the most recent instance being the murder of a middle-aged man in Bapanpalli village under Padia block in Malkangiri district today.

According to reports, three persons-Padia Kabaki, Buji Kabaki and Deba Kabaki visited Irma Kabaki’s (55) house between 1 am-2 am on Thursday. They were looking for Irma.

On their inquiry, Irma’s family members told them that he had gone to the nearby stream to catch fish.

Following that the men who had come to search for Irma accompanied by 12 more men went to the stream near the village where Irma was fishing.

The group allegedly killed Irma by slitting his throat and dumped his body in the stream.

As Irma didn’t return home by the morning, his family was worried.

Some fellow villagers who had gone near the stream in the morning found Irma’s body lying in it with his throat slit. The villagers first informed Irma’s family and later informed the police about it.

Police have seized the deceased’s body and have sent it for post-mortem to the District Headquarters Hospital here.

“Our preliminary investigation suggests that the victim was killed as the killers suspected him to be a practitioner of sorcery,” said a local police official.