Mohana: Seven persons were produced in court Wednesday on charge of thrashing two persons and subsequently burning them to death over a suspicion that they practiced sorcery at Chudangapur under Adaba police limits in Gajapati district, Mohana IIC Onam Lakra said.
The victims were identified as Ganga Gamang and Biranchi Sundaray while the accused were Sashi Sabar, Jayant Gamang, Bali Paika, Sudhir Raita, Suman Raita, Rabindra Raita and Rajiv Raita.
They were arrested Tuesday night who confessed to their crimes during interrogation, police said. According to sources, five-year-old Sony Sabar was affected by diarrhoea and reportedly died after blood oozed out from his nose and mouth. Earlier, Ganga had allegedly threatened to kill the minor.
Relatives suspected Ganga killed Sony through sorcery. They sought to take revenge on Ganga and waited for him at the minor’s graveyard late Friday night. Meanwhile, Ganga for reasons best known to him reached the graveyard the same night.
Relatives hiding behind trees overpowered him and called out a village meeting to punish Ganga. During the meeting, Ganga allegedly claimed he was assisted by Biranchi. Later, villagers imposed a `5 lakh penalty on the duo. Failing to pay the penalty, Ganga remained underground for a day and took shelter in his daughter’s residential college.
Acting on a tip-off, villagers took Ganga and Biranchi to a nearby jungle where they beat them up before burning them alive. PNN
