Rourkela/Kujang: Two persons were brutally killed by their kin over suspected witchcraft practice and past enmity in separate incidents of murders in Sundargarh and Jagatsinghpur districts, Monday.
In the first incident, a man identified as Salman Munda, 40, beheaded his elderly neighbour Naiman Munda, 65, over suspected sorcery and witchcraft practice at Purunapani village in Swayamba panchayat under K Bolang police limits in Sundargarh district, Monday morning.
Later, Salman held the severed head in his hand and roamed around in the village creating terror among the other residents. Police rushed to the spot arrested him and registered a case.
The accused used to address the victim as ‘grandfather’, locals said. When contacted, IIC Smruti Ranjan Nayak said that the actual reason behind the murder is yet to be ascertained and they can comment only after the probe is completed and the post-mortem report is available.
In the second incident, a youth identified as Tapan Majhi, bludgeoned his kin and a co-villager Dinabandhu Samal, 55, to death Monday noon at Gandakipur Kabalpur village in Jagatsinghpur district over helping his estranged wife.
Tapan bludgeoned the head of Dinabandhu with the handle of an axe when the latter was walking down the village road. Dinabandhu collapsed on the spot after being hit on the head. Despite that, Tapan continued to hit him, till Dinabandhu lost consciousness.
Police sent a bleeding Dinabandhu to Kujang Community Health Centre where doctors pronounced him dead. Locals said that Tapan and Dinabandhu were related. Tapan always used to beat up his wife and Dinabandhu used to come to the rescue of his sister, they added.
PNN
