BALANGIR: Two weeks after a man of Paruabhadi village under Sindhekela police limits was brutally thrashed and forced to drink urine on suspicion of practising sorcery, his panic-stricken family members who had left the village, have sought the help of SP Nitin Kushalkar to return home.
The gruesome incident that took place on July 3 came to the fore after a video went viral on social media. Blinded by superstition, a group of villagers armed with sticks went to the victim Haribandhu Bagarti’s house, dragged him out, and thrashed him mercilessly in public view, alleging him of practising sorcery.
Later, as per the decision of a kangaroo court, Bagarti was forced to drink urine and his head shaved off. Informed, Sindhekela police reached the spot and detained two persons and sent a seriously injured Bagarti to the local hospital for treatment. This act of extreme brutality was condemned by SP Kushalkar who had initiated an investigation in the matter but no arrests have been made yet.
Meanwhile, family members of Bagarti, after being harassed and threatened by villagers, had left their home five days back and took shelter in Mundpadar village. On Friday, they met Kushalkar and apprised him of their desire to return home. They requested the SP to provide them some security in their village.