An elderly couple, Robert Lakra (65) and his wife Colestina (60), were forced to eat excreta and drink urine recently, after they were blamed for the sudden death of cows and other animals in Puro village of Latehar district in Jharkhand.
According to the police, they were also beaten up for allegedly practising witchcraft.
Case registered
“We rescued the couple after we got information about the incident. For over a couple of months, animals of Puro village were suffering from some disease and many died,” they said.
“The youths of the village dragged us to the panchayat meeting. After half-an-hour of discussion, we were forced to eat excreta and drink urine,” the couple said in a statement to the police.
Police have registered a case. They are also trying to arrange medical assistance for the couple.
According to Latehar SP Kranti Kumar, the couple said they were innocent and had nothing to do with the death of animals in the area. Mr. Kumar said the police would soon arrest the people involved in the act.
“As for the victims, they are still in trauma. We are doing what we can do,” said Mr. Kumar