Brahmapur: Police in Odisha’s Ganjam district have arrested two brothers for allegedly murdering an 80-year-old man on suspicion of practising witchcraft, an officer said Monday.
The incident took place on the night of November 4 in Badangi village.
The accused, identified as Abhimanyu Gouda (37) and his brother Susanta Goud alias Kalia (35), were arrested on Sunday, police said.
The victim, Trinath Gouda (80), was a resident of the same village.
The accused allegedly suspected him of practising witchcraft against their family.
After registering a case, police launched an investigation into the incident.
Bhanjanagar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Deepak Kumar Mishra said the investigation revealed that the deceased used to perform traditional rituals in the village, leading some villagers and residents of nearby villages to suspect him of practising witchcraft.
The two accused also suspected that he was practising sorcery against their family, he said.
On the night of the incident, the brothers allegedly entered the elderly man’s house and dragged him to the verandah. They beat him with his walking stick before striking his head and face with a cement block, resulting in his death on the spot, police said.
The accused fled the village after the murder but were subsequently arrested during a search operation, police said.
The blood-stained cement block, the walking stick allegedly used in the assault, mobile phones and clothes worn by the accused were seized, they added.