In yet another shocking incident in Sundargarh district, a woman was beaten to death on suspicion of practising witchcraft. The accused killer was arrested and forwarded to court on Saturday evening, police said.
Sources said 10 days ago, Sangal Munda (30), a resident of Dhinkkala village under lahunipada block, had brought a bullock from the house of deceased Menj Munda, a co-villager.
For this, Sangal had invited Menj to his house for dinner. Accordingly, Menj went to Sangal’s house but didn’t return. Her family members searched a lot till next morning but could not trace her. They then asked Sangal about Menj. Sangal told them that Menj had left his house at 9 pm after having dinner. Then, Menj’s family members continued to search for her at different places and, finally, found her body hanging from a Mahul tree in a nearby forest.
Menj’s family members informed the Mahulpada police about the incident. The police reached the spot and recovered the body.
Starting investigation, the police interrogated Sangal since he had invited Menj for dinner. Sangal informed that co-villager Suresh Munda (52) had beaten Menj to death with a stick when she was returning home. Suresh then hung Menj from the tree. He kept mum about this in view of Suresh’s threat to him.
During the interrogation to him, Suresh also confessed that he had killed Menj suspecting that she was practising witchcraft, for which his son died and he is suffering from illness. “Accused Suresh Munda has been arrested and forwarded to court,” said Bonei ASP RB Panigrahi.