Keonjhar: In a shocking incident that highlights the prevalence of superstition in tribal pockets of this district, a woman and her minor daughter were hacked to death Thursday night on the suspicion that they practiced sorcery.
The gruesome incident was reported from Sirigida village under Telkoi block. The deceased were identified as Kalabati Nayak (48) and her daughter Simarekha Dalnayak (15).
Two others of the family – Bhuban Dalnayak (54) and Bijay Dalnayak (17) – were critically injured in the assault and admitted to a hospital. Police arrested the accused Rinku Sahu (26) of the same village. According to reports, the Dalnayak family had bad terms with its neighbour for the last few years.
Dalnayak’s family possessed some palm-leaf scrolls. This led Rinku’s family to believe that the scrolls had something to do with black magic. Whenever a member of Rinku’s family fell sick the needle of suspicion pointed to Dalnayak’s family’s alleged hexing. The nighbours often used to fight over the issue.
Rinku, who works in Chennai, had come home about a fortnight ago. On the fateful night, Bhuban’s wife Kalabati and his daughter Simarekha were sleeping on the verandah of their house. Rinku hacked the mother-daughter duo to death with an axe and then attacked Bhuban and his son before fleeing the scene.
Villagers found the family members lying in a pool of blood Friday morning. Police rushed to the spot, seized the bodies and admitted the injured to the Telkoi community health centre.
Police registered a case of murder and started an investigation. Later, the accused was arrested and the axe used in the crime was seized from his possession.
Sub-divisional police officer Sriharsa Mishra conducted an inquiry and said the murder has taken place over the suspicion of sorcery and past enmity. PNN
