In an incident of superstition, six elderly persons were thrashed mercilessly and tortured by a group of villagers over suspicion of practising witchcraft at Gopalpur under the Khallikote police station in Ganjam district on Monday. The incidentcame to the fore on Wednesday.
The elderly persons of the Dalit community, Jogi Das, Rama Nahak, Hari Nahak, Sania Nahak, Jogendra Nahak and Juria Nahak, of Harijan Sahi of the village were targeted by the villagers after three people died of an unknown disease and a few others fell sick.
Suspecting witchcraft practice at the village, the locals sought the assistance of a sorcerer, who named these persons responsible behind the incident.
Acting on suggestion by the sorcerer, the villagers detained six accused persons in a room and assaulted them blaming them for deaths of three people.
The victims were tied up and forced them to eat human excreta.
Receiving information, Khalikhote Tehsildar Chittaranjan Mahanta and Ganjam SP Brijesh Ray along with police force rushed to the village to rescue the victims.
But the irate villagers scuffled with police officials and pelted stones at them.
Later, police managed to rescue the victims from the clutch of villagers and admitted them to the MKCG Medical College Hospital here.
Police have arrested 50 persons, including women, in connection with the incident.