JAJPUR: Tension prevailed in Suninda Sabar Sahi within Jajpur Sadar police limits after two women of a family were humiliated over sorcery suspicion on Sunday. Police have detained one person in this connection.
Sources said some women of Sabar Sahi were seen behaving strangely for the last couple of days. Suspecting that they had fallen victims to sorcery, the villagers on Friday arranged a puja of the presiding deity to rid them of the curse but in vain. On Saturday, as many as 12 women of the village were found acting weird which prompted the locals to believe they had fallen victims to black magic. As one of the women mentioned the name of Jagannath Barik of the village. locals went to his house in the evening. Since Barik was not at home, the forcefully took away his wife and mother and locked them up in a room.
When Barik got to know of the incident, he approached the local police to rescue his wife and mother. When personnel from Jajpur Sadar police station reached the village, the locals gheraoed the police vehicle. The villages let go of Barik’s wife and mother only after he was detained by police for questioning. Barik said he has nothing to do with sorcery.
Jajpur Sadar IIC Sankarshan Dalei said Barik has been detained and two separate complaints filed in connection with the incident.
He said the villagers have been asked to refrain from such superstitious practices. Police personnel have been deployed in the village to prevent any law and order situation, he said.
