Superstitious Belief in Sorcery Leads to 2 Murders in Kendrapara, Sambalpur

Bhubaneswar: Superstitious villagers murdered two persons alleging them to be practicing sorcery in two separate incidents in Kendrapara and Sambalpur districts.

In Kendrapara district, Mani Chandra Sahu (55) and his wife were attacked by their neighbour Aju Maharana and his two sons, Bipin Maharana and Gunua Maharana at Haranabebi village under Pattamundai block on Monday.

Seriously injured Sahu was transported to SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack, where doctors declared him brought dead.

It is alleged that Aju and his family suspected that Sahu and his wife were using black magic against them. Because of it they attacked the couple.

The deceased’s family members lodged a complaint with the Pattamundai rural police station, but no one had been arrested.

In the Dimirikuda village under Kisinda police station limits in Sambalpur district, four persons attacked a couple with sharp weapons alleging them to be practitioners of witchcraft.  The husband died, while the wife managed to escape death by running away into the nearby forest. The police are trying to nab the culprits.