CUTTACK: In yet another incident of mob lynching in the state, a 35-year-old man was beaten to death by a group of villagers on suspicion of practising sorcery and his body subsequently burnt at Talamunduli village under Maniabandha police limits in Cuttack district.
Police have arrested 25 people in connection with the ghastly incident. The deceased was identified as Tikima Behera.
According to police, the incident took place on May 10 during Chandan Yatra celebrations but came to light only after the victim’s father Sweta Behera (55), who was staying at his in-laws’ house in Gojapada village, learnt about it on Monday night and lodged a complaint.
In his FIR, Behera alleged that the accused persons, all residents of Talamunduli village, assaulted his son leading to his death and later burnt the body in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Cuttack (Rural) SP Vinit Agrawal said three separate police teams were formed under Athagarh SDPO Biswajit Mohanty to investigate the case. A scientific team examined the spot. Physical samples and other incriminating materials were collected for forensic examination, the SP said.
“During sustained interrogation, one of the accused confessed to the crime in the presence of independent witnesses. Based on the disclosure, partially burnt body parts and bones of the deceased were recovered,” Agrawal said.
Investigation revealed that some villagers suspected Tikima of practising sorcery and allegedly conspired to eliminate him. Police said that around 11 pm on May 10, while Chandan Yatra festivities were underway, the accused dragged him out of his house to a village meeting where he was assaulted.
While he succumbed to the brutal assault, the accused later burnt the body to erase evidence of the crime. Further investigation is underway, police said.
According to locals, the victim was a married man. However, following marital discord, his wife had left him for the last seven years. He had been living along with his elder brother and sister-in-law in their house in the village. His father, though, was staying in his father-in-law’s house at Gojapada, about 1.5 km away from their village.
Sources said, on the ill-fated night when the accused persons dragged Tikima out of his house to a village meeting, his elder brother and sister-in-law remained as mute spectators as they could not muster courage to protest because majority of villagers had united against the former.
Even after the brutal murder of Tikima, his elder brother and sister-in-law had not informed police about the incident and preferred to remain silent in fear of the mob retaliation, sources added.
