Pallahara: A woman was hacked to death by a fellow villager over suspicion she practised ‘witchcraft’, at Putukamahul village near here in Angul district. She was Niras Purthi, 50. The accused, Guna Saiyan, 60, surrendered before the police Monday evening along with the murder weapon.
Locals said Guna was frequently falling ill. A day back, he had a bad dream that Niras was practising black magic on him. He decided to finish her off.
As per the police FIR, he attacked her with a spade when she was working in her farm. He hacked her to death and dumped the body in a field.
Then, Saiyan covered the body with a heap of stones so that no one noticed it.
Family members searched for the woman and lodged a ‘missing person’ complaint with the police. It was later that Guna surrendered before the police Monday evening.
