PHULBANI: Gochhapada police on Monday revealed that the recent murder of a tribal couple in Kandhamal was not orchestrated by Maoists as initially suspected but instead carried out by villagers.
The superintendent of police, Suvendu Patra, confirmed that 10 persons including one woman, have been apprehended in connection with the killings.
The victims, Tahira Kanhar and Batasi Kanhar of Gumaldani village, were found dead in the Kaseru forest on March 9, with severe head injuries. Contrary to initial beliefs, investigations revealed that the couple fell victim to superstition, as villagers suspected them to be practicing witchcraft.
According to police, the accused villagers alleged that too many people were falling ill in the village and they believed it was due to the witchcraft practised by the couple. Since the allegations kept increasing, the couple relocated to Kalibiherigata under Salaguda panchayat.
During police interrogation, the main accused, Sunil Kanhar, confessed to the crime, attributing his father’s death to the alleged black magic practice of the couple. He revealed that on March 4, some villagers, in a meeting, allegedly decided to kill the couple and asked Sunil to eliminate the duo for Rs 40,000.
On the fateful day, he and his accomplice, Ajay Kanhar, attacked the couple, bludgeoning them to death with a hammer. The accused disposed of the murder weapon and blood-stained clothing to avoid coming under the police scanner.
Both Tahira and Batasi had earlier served as ward members of Salaguda gram panchayat.