Four killed in alleged witchcraft incidents in Jharkhand

Four persons were killed in separate incidents allegedly for practicing witchcraft in East and West Singhbhum district, police said today.

The bodies of three members of a family were recovered from Saranda forest limit of West Singhbhum district on Friday, Superintendent of Police, West Singhbhum, Michael Raj said today.

He said the family members, including a 54-year-old man, his wife and a son went missing since December 25 and their bodies were recovered yesterday even though the police had information about the possible killing three days ago.

The relatives of the victim had told police that they all went out in search of livelihood but police continued with the investigation, leading to recovery of the bodies, he said.

Prima facie, it appeared that the murder was committed for practicing black magic.

Michael Raj said involvement of seven persons in the incident was being suspected and police launched a hunt to apprehend them, he added.

In an another incident, a man, who held that the witchcraft being practiced by his woman neighbour Bali Tudu (45) was responsible for his father’s death on Wednesday, killed her in Patharbhanga village in East Singhbhum district, police said.

In a fit of rage, Shyamcharan Tudu axed Bali to death on Friday, police said adding that Shyamcharan has been arrested.

Shyamcharan told police that he had lost four member of his family during the last four year and suspected the black magic being practiced by Bali and her husband Basko Tudu was reason for their death.