BARIPADA: As many as seven persons were arrested by Chandua police of Mayurbhanj district on Friday for allegedly killing one Pandu Munda (33) suspecting him of practising witchcraft. The accused were identified as Sankha Murmu (45), Tibu Tudu (40), Kuna Murmu (30), Ghana Murmu (40), Brundaban Soren (45), Rejna Murmu (40), and Basla Soren (45), all natives of Kothabila village.
Baripada Sadar sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Prakash James Toppo informed that the incident took place on September 17 at around 8.30 pm when Pandu was returning home after attending a football tournament.
“The family members of the accused were not keeping well and they suspected Pandu’s voodoo practice to be the reason behind it. They had even asked him to pay `50,000 to assist their treatments but he denied claiming to be innocent and also financially unstable,” said Toppo adding that a sorcerer was also hired to remove the ill effects of the evil practice from him.
But on September 17, while Pandu was returning home after attending the tournament, the accused confronted him and after a heated exchange of words, reportedly tied a cloth around his neck leading to his death due to suffocation. Later, they packed the body in a plastic bag and threw it into a canal to eliminate evidence, added the SDPO. The body was recovered from Lodhamari canal gate on September 21.
After receiving complaint from Pandu’s relative, Purnachandra Singh, an unnatural death case was registered and on Friday the accused were arrested under section 302, 201 and 34 of the IPC. “They will soon be produced in Baripada SDJM court,” said Toppo.