Post News Network
Kendrapara, May 14: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recently sought an action taken report (ATR) from Kendrapara SP Satish Kumar Gajbhiye over an incident in which an eight-year-old boy was killed over sorcery.
The apex rights body gave the direction in case file no-3510/18/27/2015 acting on a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy.
The petitioner pointed out that April 13, Rajesh Kumar Nayak (8) of Gokhapada village under Marshaghai police station was killed while he had gone to witness a yajna organised in the village. In the evening of April 14, the ill-fated boy’s body was found floating in river Luna near the village. In a case of human sacrifice, the boy was killed by a sorcerer to ‘propitiate evil powers’ and attain ‘mastery in witchcraft’.
As per preliminary inquiry, the yajna was organised by occultist Choudhury Abhinas Das alias Muna. Later, Muna with the help of Baikuntha Das alias Bairagi kidnapped Rajesh from the yajna site. The duo then slit the boy’s throat on the banks of the river and collected the blood in an earthen pot to offer it to the deity. They dumped the body in the river. The failure of the government to check such horrific crimes amounts to violation of human rights, Tripathy stated in the petition.
The petitioner requested the NHRC to direct the government to inform on the steps taken by it to curb the practice of sorcery, take legal action against the culprits and pay at least `5 lakh compensation to the bereaved family.
The human rights watchdog sought the ATR from the SP within four weeks.
When contacted, Gajbhiye said the NHRC report is yet to be received. Police have arrested Muna, an ex-serviceman, and Bairagi, his associate, the SP added.
Muna earlier worked under Mahar infantry regiment of the Indian Army. Both are inhabitants of Gokhapada and have confessed to the crime before police.
