ROURKELA: Two days after a 52-year-old woman was found brutally murdered in her house at Jhirpani village, Kutra police in Sundargarh district on Sunday arrested her nephew on charges of killing her.
Police said accused Anand Ekka (24) murdered his aunt Sarojini Ekka, suspecting her of practising witchcraft.
Rajgangpur sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) BB Bhoi on Monday said after the death of her husband a few years ago, Sarojini was staying with her teenaged son, while her elder daughter was studying in Sambalpur. The woman’s brother and Anand’s father was suffering from prolonged illness. Anand believed that his aunt’s black magic was the cause of his father’s suffering and was waiting for an opportunity to eliminate her, said Bhoi.
On February 27, the accused went to his aunt’s house when she was alone. He reportedly stabbed her with a sharp weapon multiple times before fleeing the spot. When Sarojini’s son returned from school after appearing for the ongoing matriculation examination, he found his mother lying in a pool of blood inside the house. The woman had died due to sharp cut injuries on her head and neck region, said the SDPO.
On being informed, police along with a scientific team reached the spot and seized the body for postmortem. Bhoi said in the course of investigation, the needle of suspicion pointed towards Anand.
During interrogation, the accused broke down and confessed to the crime. The sharp weapon used in the murdered was also recovered. Anand was arrested and produced in court on Sunday night, he added.