BARIPADA: In a shocking incident, two elderly women were brutally hacked to death while another sustained grievous injuries over suspicion of practising witchcraft in Madhupur village under Jamda police limits of Rairangpur sub-division in Mayurbhanj district.
The incident took place at around 12 am and the accused surrendered before the police after committing the crime. The deceased were identified as Karmi Murmu (65) and Surya Hembram (60).The injured elderly woman Jaba Baskey is undergoing treatment at Rairangpur hospital. The accused has been identified as Shyam Baskey. All of them belong to Madhupur village.
Sources said Shyam axed Karmi to death in her house while Surya was killed while she was on her way to her farm. Jaba was injured after being attacked with bow and arrow by the accused. Investigation Officer Prafulla Malik said Shyam surrendered before the police after committing the crime.As per preliminary investigation, the accused committed the crime as he was distressed over his wife’s repeated miscarriages and inability to deliver even after five years of marriage. Shyam suspected that his wife’s repeated failure to deliver a child was a result of witchcraft practised by the three elderly women. Sources said the villagers tried their best to dissuade the accused from committing the crime but could not muster the courage to stop him as he was holding an axe.
On being informed, policemen, along with a scientific team, rushed to the spot and started investigation into the incident. Based on a complaint lodged by the family members of the two deceased, the accused was arrested and booked under Section 302 and Prevention of Witchcraft Act. The bodies were sent to Rairangpur hospital for postmortem. On September 9, Ratha Hembram, a resident of Kukudajhari village within Baripada Sadar police limits in the district, had axed his brother Puna Hembram and sister- in-law Singha Hembram to death on suspicion of practising sorcery.