Berhampur: Police Friday arrested five persons on charge of killing a man in Ganjam district whom they suspected to be practising witchcraft in the village.
A 75-year old man at Dhiniripankal village was stoned to death March 29 by the accused persons, police said.
Police recovered the body of Dharma Naik from a canal near the Sardhapur village the next day and started an investigation after registering a murder case on the complaint of the daughter of the deceased Sabita Naik.
The arrested persons included Budhiram Naik (23), Dhoba Naik (40), Bulu Naik (28), Rohit Naik (27) of Dhimiripankal and Das Naik (30) of Lembhakumpa village.
“The murder case was solved as almost all the accused persons are arrested,” said sub-divisional police officer, Aska, Suryamani Pradhan.
Blood-stain stone piece, two motorcycles and a mobile phone were seized from the accused persons, he said.
The police said the accused persons have confessed to killing the old man for allegedly practising sorcery in the village for which the family members of the accused persons died or suffering from diseases.
After committing murder, they had fled to their workplace in neighbouring Gajapati district. During the investigation, the police traced and arrested them, said the SDPO.
PTI