Three tribal women and an elderly man were paraded naked for several hours on Monday by an unruly mob who branded them as sorcerers. Hundreds of shaken villagers stood mute spectators to the shocking sight that continued from 9 am to 12.30 pm at Malpada hamlet of the Christian-dominated Kiralaga village, about 115 km from Rourkela, under Talsara police limits of Subdega block.
According to reports, the mob held Patras Dungdung (65), his wife Christiana (60) and two of their neighbours Balamdina Soreng (45) and Philomina Dungdung (55) responsible for deaths of some villagers and illness to others.
They claimed the ‘victims’ used to meet in the dead of night and practise sorcery to harm fellow villagers.
Kiralaga Sarpanch Christiana Kerketta said village meetings were held on Sunday evening and Monday morning where the four were asked to apologise and promise to refrain from practising witchcraft. When the four refused, they were punished, the Sarpanch said, adding that as her appeal to the villagers to restrain from the punishing the four went unheeded, she left the place.
It is learnt, the victims were assaulted, their faces blackened before being made to parade naked to beating of drums to exorcise evil spirits. They were forced to march through the entire village and criss-crossed through at least four schools, Kiralaga panchayat office and other government offices.
An eyewitness confided that with majority of village adults having given consent to it none dared to call police. Sundargarh SP Sanjeev Arora said a DSP rank officer was sent to record statements of the victims and promised stern action against the culprits.
Sundargarh Collector Rupa Roshan Sahu said the District Welfare Officer was deputed to inquire into it.
It is reminiscent of a similar incident that took place years ago when a widow Noni Ekka was treated brutally, forced to eat human excreta and paraded naked at Tainsor gram panchayat in Lathikata block of the district.