4 persons hacked to death in 2 incidents on suspicion of ‘witchcraft’ in Odisha

Police said six persons, including two minors, were arrested on Monday in Kunajam on charges of battering a man, his wife and his nephew to death, because the accused suspected they practised witchcraft

Published on: Aug 3, 2021, 09:25:29 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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In two separate cases, four persons, including two women, were hacked to death in Odisha.

Representational image. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Police said six persons, including two minors, were arrested on Monday in Kunajam on charges of battering a man, his wife and his nephew to death, because the accused suspected they practised witchcraft.

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“So far two bodies have been recovered from Samakoi riverbed while the search is on for the last one,” Khamar police station inspector Gyanaranjan Samal said.

In a separate incident, the body of a 55-year-old widow was found in her house under the jurisdiction of Raruan police station of Mayurbhanj district on Monday morning. Police said the woman was hacked to death with an axe in her home in Tilusahi village. Suspicion of witchcraft could be the reason behind her death, police said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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