TNN | May 14, 2012, 04.12AM IST
BALANGIR: A 50-year-old man was beaten to death in Phuker village under Bijepur police limits in Kalahandi district on Sunday morning on suspicion of practicing witchcraft. The villagers allegedly punished the man, identified as Beju Majhi, for casting an evil influence on them through witchcraft. Police detained 15 persons in this connection.
Police said after four villagers died of mysterious diseases, the villagers attributed the deaths to evil designs of Majhi. The villagers held a meeting and called Majhi to testify. In the meeting, villagers accused him of practicing witchcraft, as a result of which their loved ones died. When Majhi denied ever practicing witchcraft, all the villagers attacked him, following which he fell unconscious and died 12 hours later.
Before being attacked, Majhi was tonsured and was asked to leave the village and go to Dungiguda, his native place. "Majhi, who was staying in the village since a long time, was tonsured and beaten up," said Lanjhigarh IIC Satya Nanda. He said police detained the villagers after the deceased's brother lodged a complaint. Villagers, whose relatives died in the last one year, were involved in the attack, the IIC said.
According to sources, in the tribal-dominated areas of Lanjigarh and Thuamul Rampur blocks many people practice quackery. Majhi too was a quack and used to treat villagers in case of need. Because of rampant superstition in the villagers, the blocks have witnessed a number of attacks on such quacks.
Link: Man beaten to death for practicing ‘witchcraft'
Police said after four villagers died of mysterious diseases, the villagers attributed the deaths to evil designs of Majhi. The villagers held a meeting and called Majhi to testify. In the meeting, villagers accused him of practicing witchcraft, as a result of which their loved ones died. When Majhi denied ever practicing witchcraft, all the villagers attacked him, following which he fell unconscious and died 12 hours later.
Before being attacked, Majhi was tonsured and was asked to leave the village and go to Dungiguda, his native place. "Majhi, who was staying in the village since a long time, was tonsured and beaten up," said Lanjhigarh IIC Satya Nanda. He said police detained the villagers after the deceased's brother lodged a complaint. Villagers, whose relatives died in the last one year, were involved in the attack, the IIC said.
According to sources, in the tribal-dominated areas of Lanjigarh and Thuamul Rampur blocks many people practice quackery. Majhi too was a quack and used to treat villagers in case of need. Because of rampant superstition in the villagers, the blocks have witnessed a number of attacks on such quacks.
Link: Man beaten to death for practicing ‘witchcraft'
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