DEOGARH: Eight members of two families, including six women, were forced to eat pig and human excreta, tortured and paraded in Sunamunda village under Deogarh Police limits, two days ago for suspected sorcery. The two families have now left their homes fearing for their lives.
The situation took an ugly turn after the locals ordered for a ‘magical cot’ from Cuttack to identify those behind the witchcraft. One among the victims has lodged a complaint with Deogarh police on Friday. No arrests have been made so far.
Reports said 13 girls of Sunamunda High School, while appearing for their High School Certificate Examination (HSE) in Suguda High School, fell ill and started behaving weird. Their parents consulted doctors and sorcerers assuming that they were under some ‘evil’ influence.
The villagers said while doctors failed to treat the girls, they were cured after a visit to Bhairavi Peetha at Kala village. The girls, however, would get attacks at regular intervals. The parents then suspected that the two families were practicing witchcraft. While one family belonged to Sunamunda village, the other was from Palsakudar village.
The villagers on April 17 forced the families to eat pig and human excreta hoping that “it would reduce their power”.
They were also tortured and assaulted and paraded in the village. One of them was also allegedly stripped searched.
Although one family reported the matter to police on April 18 and his complaint included names of the assaulters, the police allegedly refused to entertain it and instead asked them to reach a compromise with the villagers.
With the ‘magical cot’ identifying them as culprits on Thursday, things turned for the worse. They were allegedly assaulted and sustained injuries. The villagers even imposed fines on them. Unable to pay the fine due to financial constraints, the same family again lodge a complaint with the police Contacted, Deogarh Police Station IIC K B Mohapatra admitted to have received reports and said that they are looking into the matter.