Ambadala: An 81-year-old man was brutally murdered, allegedly over suspicion of practising witchcraft, at Sundhipadar village under Saradhapur panchayat of Ambadala police limits in Rayagada district, police said Tuesday.
The deceased was identified as Chichi Ram Bag (81). According to police, the assailants attacked him with a sharp weapon, chopped his head and later crushed it with stones, killing him on the spot.
After the body was recovered, family members lodged a complaint at the Ambadala police station.
During the investigation, the police found the village largely deserted, with most men missing, while women were unwilling to speak, raising suspicion about collective involvement in the crime.
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Police suspect the murder was linked to long-standing tensions over allegations of witchcraft.
Family members claimed that around six months ago, the elderly man had been involved in a heated argument with some villagers after being accused of practising witchcraft.
A scientific team and a sniffer dog were deployed at the crime scene.
Police seized a torchlight and a sharp weapon from near the body.
The victim had been missing since Sunday evening.
Villagers found his body lying in a drain near a paddy fi eld Tuesday morning and informed the Ambadala police.
Inspector-in-Charge Kalpana Behera said the exact cause and motive behind the murder would be confirmed after a thorough investigation.
Muniguda IIC Keshab Sarangi also visited the spot and supervised the probe.