Chhattisgarh: Man with mental illness killed over alleged witchcraft in Bilaspur

Police said the victim was subjected to rituals of witchcraft for four days and his body parts were burned in the name of medication

A 35-year-old man with mental illnesses was allegedly killed after he was subjected to rituals of witchcraft in the name of medication in Bilaspur district, police said on Wednesday.

The accused Baiga was arrested under the charges of murder on Tuesday, police said. (Representative Image)

Police said the victim’s body parts were burned by a hot trident by a Baiga (a local name for people practising medication using supernatural powers) for four days before he succumbed to the infection incurred due to the above process.

The incident took place in a village under Masturi police station area and the accused Baiga was arrested under the charges of murder on Tuesday

According to a statement issued by the Bilaspur police, one Leelaram Rajak claimed that the victim, a resident of Podi village Ratanpur, was under the influence of ghosts and that Rajak could help him get rid of it. On October 23, the victim’s wife brought him to Rajak’s village Junwani, where Rajak allegedly treated him for the next three days.

The victim’s wife told the police that the Baiga burned different parts of his body by a hot trident during treatment and following this his health deteriorated further and she took him back home on Monday and he died on Tuesday.

Police said they have booked the accused Rajak under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).