BARIPADA: Chandua police of Mayurbhanj district arrested a tantrik for trying to bring a dead man to life in Marangatandi village on Sunday. The black magic practitioner was identified as 52-year-old Sada Tudu of Jhandapal village.
Jena Singh, an eyewitness, said former Sarpanch of Marangatandi Rajaram Murmu died in a hospital on Friday. Instead of performing his last rites, family members took Murmu’s body to Tudu who they believed had the powers to bring back the deceased to life.
However, after trying for almost 20 hours in full public glare, Tudu failed in his attempts to resurrect the dead. This irked Murmu’s relatives who expressed their displeasure over the farce and delay in performing the last rites of the deceased.
Locals said the former Sarpanch was suffering from diabetes and was admitted to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital on February 22. However, he died at around 9.30 pm on Saturday. Family members brought Murmu’s body from the hospital and approached Tudu who assured them to bring back the dead to life.
On being informed, police rushed to the spot and arrested Tudu. A case has been registered against the sorcerer, who was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody after his bail plea was rejected, said OIC Gopal Chandra Karna.