“We detained the accused for questioning as the victim was last seen with them. They confessed to have murdered him and dumping his body,” Aska Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Suryamani Pradhan said.
Five people in Odisha’s Ganjam district were arrested on Sunday for their alleged involvement in the murder of an elderly man over suspicion of practicing sorcery.
The incident took place last week at Dhimripankal village, which falls under the Badagada police station limits. According to an officer, the incid Odishaent came to light when a villager spotted the body of Dharma Naik (75) dumped under bushes near the village canal and informed the police.
“We detained the accused for questioning as the victim was last seen with them. They confessed to have murdered him and dumping his body,” Aska Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Suryamani Pradhan said.
The accused were identified as Budhiram Naik, Bulu Naik, Rohit Naik, Dhoba Naik – all residents of Dhimiripankal — and Das Naik of neighbouring Lembhapumpa village. Police also recovered the murder weapons from the possession of the accused, including a stone and a hammer.
Pradhan said the accused killed Dharma over suspicion that he performed sorcery and killed children in the village. “One of the accused had lost two of his children within a span of a few months and suspected that something was unnatural. They had seen Dharma throw some substance right outside his house twice every week for the last couple of weeks and he grew suspicious that Dharma was involved in the death of his children,” the officer said.
Police said the accused had confronted Dharma over the issue which led to a heated argument between them. In a fit of rage, the accused attacked Dharma, killing him on the spot. All the accused have been booked under IPC Section 302 (murder).
Source: Read Full Article