JAGATSINGHPUR: Kujang police arrested seven persons on Sunday night for allegedly assaulting a man on the suspicion that his sorcery practice was the reason behind the deaths in the village.
The victim, 50-year-old Subash Chandra Nath of Badang village within Kujang police limits, runs a fast food business. He reportedly also kept a human skull at his house and claimed to cure diseases like diarrhoea, fever etc with the help of sorcery.
However, after some people of the village died of fever, diarrhoea and other illnesses recently, locals began to believe it was because of Nath’s witchcraft practice. Earlier on the day, villagers held a meeting during which they concluded that the deaths would continue if Nath did not stop his sorcery practise.
Later in the night, they reached Nath’s house carrying sticks and warned him to stop the witchcraft practice further threatening to kill him if he did not oblige. A heated exchange ensued between Nath and the villagers following which the latter assaulted him. Soon after, Nath reached the Kujang police station and lodged an FIR in this connection.
Basing on the complaint, police arrested seven persons namely Tanuj Sahani, Pakan Sahani, Pama Bhol, Balia Swain, Santosh Jena, Pintu Swain, and Kuna Samantray.
Kujang IIC Rashmi Ranjan Das said police had conducted awareness campaigns in the village to dispel local residents’ belief in sorcery. “The accused were produced in court and further investigation is underway to nab the others involved,” he added.