NUAPADA: Police on Monday arrested five persons including a juvenile for their alleged involvement in the murder of a 70-year-old man over sorcery suspicion at Kikribeda village within Khariar police limits here.
Police said Bhagabana Majhi (22) and Subash Majhi (25) of Sinapali and Girdhari Majhi (30) and Ratne Majhi (45) of Khariar besides the juvenile were involved in the murder of Kalia Majhi.
Three days back, Kalia’s wife Umakanti Majhi lodged a complaint with Khariar police alleging that at around midnight on March 19, two unidentified miscreants entered their house and stabbed her husband with a knife on his chest before fleeing.
Kalia was rushed to Khariar sub-divisional hospital and later referred to Nuapada district headquarters hospital where he succumbed during treatment.
Nuapada SP Gundala Reddy Raghavendra said on March 17, accused Bhagabana visited his relative Ratne’s house in Kikribeda, where they were joined by Giridhari and the juvenile. During discussion, Ratne blamed Kalia for her husband’s death and accused him of practising witchcraft. The four of them then hatched a plan to eliminate Kalia.
The next day, the juvenile showed Kalia’s house to Bhagabana and Giridhari. Bhagabana then called Subash from his village. The accused purchased a knife and liquor from Khariar and returned to Ratne’s house where they finalised their murder plan.
Raghavendra said in the intervening night of March 18 and 19, Bhagabana and Subash arrived at Kalia’s house on a motorcycle. Armed with a knife, Bhagabana entered the house and stabbed Kalia in the chest. The duo then fled on the bike.
While returning, Bhagabana fell from the motorcycle and suffered injuries. The accused returned to Sinapali via Boden and concealed the murder weapon and their blood-stained clothes in a club house of their village.
The murder weapon, blood-stained clothes and the motorcycle were seized. The accused have been arrested. Further investigation is underway, added the SP.