BERHAMPUR: Ganjam’s Khalikote police arrested seven persons for allegedly torturing a man on sorcery suspicion in Kalenjipalli village on Saturday evening. The victim was identified as 57-year-old Sahadev Pradhan. Police said last month, a seven-year-old boy of Kalenjipalli died and five others kids fell sick under mysterious circumstances. Villagers suspected sorcery to be the reason behind the death and sickness. As Sahadev regularly visited a local mutt since the last couple of months, some villagers spread rumour that he was practising witchcraft.
On Saturday, when Sahadev came out of his house, a group of villagers dragged him to the road and assaulted him mercilessly. Though the man pleaded innocence, the villagers did not listen to him and tied him to an electric pole. They were planning to force-feed Sahadev human excreta, when police arrived at the spot.
Khalikote OIC J Malik said on getting information, police reached Kalenjipalli and rescued Sahadev from the clutches of villagers. In the evening, police arrested seven persons for torturing the victim. The accused were produced in court on Sunday. An investigation is underway and efforts are on to nab others involved in the incident, Malik added. Sources said most of the men in Kalenjipalli have fled the village to avoid police action.