A woman was shot dead by three persons, who suspected her of practising black magic at Sijukala village under the Bahalda police station of Mayurbhanj district on Thursday.
The deceased woman was identified as Manuku Majhi.
Villagers said three bike-borne miscreants opened fire at the woman, who was walking through the village road early on Thursday morning. The victim who was shot in her head died on the spot.
Police suspected that she could have been murdered on suspicion of being a witch. A sniffer dog squad and a scientific team of the police rushed to the village.
The police registered a case in this connection and started investigation. Sources said the assailants had threatened the victim of dire consequences earlier. Police are now interrogating the locals to get clue about the killers and started raiding several suspected locations to nab them.