3 of a family found murdered in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur

The Chhattisgarh police said the victims were killed with sharp-edged weapons inside their house and therefore they are suspecting that the accused was known to the family

Updated on: Oct 8, 2022, 14:23:29 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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A man, his wife and their daughter were found murdered in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district, police said on Friday.

Police said that witchcraft could be the reason behind the killing. (Representative Image)

Senior police officials said that witchcraft could be the reason behind the killing but they are investigating the case from all angles. Police said that they have also detained three people and quizzing is going on.

“The bodies were found in Kadamtoli village on Thursday and the deceased have been identified as Arjun Tendua (43), his wife Firni Tendua (40) and daughter Sanjana (19),” said superintendent of police (SP), Jashpur, D Ravishankar.

The officer further said that the victims were killed with sharp-edged weapons inside their house and therefore police are suspecting that the accused was known to the family.

“The locals have given statements that the family has been engaged in witchcraft for a long time. People used to fear the family because they believed that they had some supernatural powers. We have a lead that a person from the village was upset with the victims over some witchcraft issues. We have detained a few people and investigation is going on,” said the SP.

A case of murder has been registered and all efforts are being made to solve the crime, he added.

“The reason behind the killing is yet to be ascertained. On Friday, police found that the man was also having a land dispute on which another team is working,” added the SP.

In August, two people fell prey to black magic in Chhattisgarh after a 17-year-old boy allegedly killed his parents in connivance with his relatives in Jashpur district, offering them as sacrifice at the behest of a ‘tantric’ (shaman) to cure his mentally-ill elder brother.

Witchcraft cases are mostly reported in Central and Eastern rural parts of India, including Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

Dr Dinesh Mishra, an activist who filed an RTI on the witchcraft cases in Chhattisgarh, claimed that between 2006 and 2017 , a total of 1,357 cases were reported in Chhattisgarh mainly in Jashpur, Janjgir-Champa and Koriya districts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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