SAMBALPUR:A sorcerer was arrested by Hirakud police on Saturday on charges of raping a minor tribal girl. The accused is Padman Khadia (50) of Gadmunda under Hirakud police limits. He has been charged under Section 376 IPC besides, 4 POCSO Act and will be forwarded to the court on Sunday.
According to reports, the 16-year-old girl of Salepara village in Rengali block suffered from illness for a few days. Suspecting that her illness could be a result of black magic, her parents took her to Padman. The sorcerer told them that she was behaving abnormally under the spell of black magic and asked them to leave her at his place for three months. The girl’s mother decided to stay back along with her. He performed some rituals on her for a period of three months and after they returned home recently, parents of the girl realised that she was pregnant.
A social worker got wind of the incident and took them to the ASP, SK Panigrahi on Friday evening. Later a complaint was lodged with the Hirakud police and the sorcerer arrested.