BARIPADA: Two days after bodies of two missing minor boys were found from a mango orchard in Dhipabandh village of Mayurbhanj district, body of their mother Rinki Sinku was found from the same area on Sunday morning. The spot is just a few metres away from the place where bodies of her sons, Jagannath Sinku (10) and Jashobanta Sinku (4), were found on Friday evening. All the three were missing since Tuesday.
Police have arrested two accused - Bijay Sinku (20) and Gurucharan Karua (22) - of the same village and they have confessed to the crime. The knife used for slitting the throats of the three was also seized from Bijay. Another accused in the case is absconding. Police had detained the three on Saturday.
Jagannath, Jashobanta and their mother Rinki had left for their relative’s house in a nearby village five days back. Rinki’s husband Madhusudan Sinku and relatives started searching for them when they did not reach home. Some villagers found the bodies of the boys while passing through the orchard near Jalpa canal, a few kilometres from the village, and informed the police. Madhusudan had not filed any missing complaint with the police as he was busy searching for them in his relatives’ houses.
Investigating officer Nabakishore Das said sorcery was the reason behind the killings. While Bijay is the main accused, the two others had helped him in the crime. Suspecting Rinki of practising sorcery, Bijay slit the throats of her and the boys while they were returning home on Tuesday night. They hid the bodies near Jalpa canal and returned home. Bijay, Gurucharan and the third accused went to the spot again during night and disposed of the bodies in a mango orchard near the canal.
Apparently, Bijay was suffering from prolonged illness and suspected Rinki of performing witchcraft on him. He also had heated exchange of words with Madhusudan on the day of Raja Sankranti over the issue. When Madhusudan said his wife was innocent, an angry Bijay plotted to kill her along with her children. Gurucharan and the third accused are his neighbours. Police said search for the third accused is on and he would be nabbed soon. They have tracked his mobile phone.