BARIPADA: In a gruesome incident, a man decapitated his aunt on the suspicion of sorcery and surrendered before police with her severed head at Karkachia village of Nuasahi in Mayurbhanj district on Monday.The accused was identified as Budhiram Singh (33) and the victim is 60-year-old Champa Singh of Karkachia. Budhiram committed the ghastly crime as he believed that Champa had cast an evil spell which led to the death of his five-year-old daughter.
Sources said Budhiram’s daughter was ailing for some months. Despite spending all his money on her treatment, both by doctors and local quacks, there was no improvement in her health condition. She succumbed to her illness five days back following which Budhiram became stressed.The accused came to know about Champa worshipping some god at her home since his daughter’s death. He suspected that his aunt was practising witchcraft and she was had a hand behind his daughter’s death. Budhiram then decided to kill Champa and was waiting for a chance to take revenge.
On Monday morning, the accused decided to carry out his plan as the villagers were busy observing Raja Sankranti at home and there was hardly any soul outside. He waited for the elderly woman near the deserted village road and when Champa returned from a nearby field, he attacked her with an axe and beheaded her. He then covered the severed head with a cloth and along with the weapon, went to Khunta police station and surrendered.
Khunta IIC SL Minz said the accused arrived at the police station with the victim’s head and the blood-stained axe and confessed to his crime. Budhiram suspected that Champa was practising sorcery and had put a hex on his daughter, leading to her death.Udala SDPO Kedarnath Sahu along with a scientific team reached the crime spot for investigation. A case under Section 302 of the IPC and Odisha Prevention of witch-hunting Act, 2013 has been registered and the accused will be produced in court on Tuesday.