Despite the Odisha Prevention of Witch Hunting Act, 2013 in force, harassment and torture of persons suspected of practising sorcery continue unabated.
In another such shocking incident, villagers in SB Jagdebpur under the Jarada police station in Patrapur block of Ganjam district suspecting two persons of practising witchcraft thrashed them black and blue knocked out their teeth and then forcibly fed them human excreta.
The villagers believed that the victims, Basudeb Nayak and Banchha Nayak, through their witchcraft had caused the death of two children of a family in the village a few days back.
Sources said that Basudeb and Banchha are so scared of the villagers that they did not lodge complaint with the police nor did they even turn up before Jarada PS IIC Sujit Kumar Nayak, who visited SB Jagdebpur to record their complaint.
The duo has been allegedly threatened of dire consequences by a group of villagers if they dared to report the matter to the police, the sources added.
IIC Nayak on getting reports on the abominable incident had visited the village on Wednesday to conduct an inquiry and questioned villagers about it, police sources said. However, the victims did not turn up to record their statements.
In absence of a complaint, police action against the accused has been delayed.