A man was stabbed with a trident and burnt alive while villagers danced around him at a remote forest village Tordara in tribal-dominated Mandla district in MP.
The incident occurred in the presence of the man's wife and 15-year-old son on the intervening night of August 25 and 26.
Seven people were arrested in the case including Parvati Bai, Kusia Bai, Bhammati, Mukesh Marco, Gend Singh, Dumri and Surtia Bai. Parvati Bai allegedly practises black magic. She stabbed Brijlal (40) with a trident in the name of healing his ill son by helping him to get rid of evil spirits.
Later, some villagers gathered around Brijlal who lay screaming on the ground struggling for life. They poured kerosene on him and set him ablaze.
Niwas (Mandla) police station town inspector Varsha Patel said the accused have been arrested and sent to jail.