Post News Network
Joda, July 15: A team of officials from the State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) Wednesday started its investigation into the gruesome killing of six persons of a tribal family in Mundasahi of Lahanda under Bileipada police outpost in Keonjhar district July 12. The killings were fallout of suspicion that the deceased were practising sorcery.
At 10 am, a six-member team of FSL led by its assistant director Bibhutibhusan Rath along with Joda police started investigation. The team recovered a sharp-edged weapon from a neighbouring house of deceased Gura Munda (35).
Officials of Keonjhar forensic team were also part of the probing team, which minutely examining blood stains, soil and clothes in the house. Besides, the team examined the surrounding areas of the house.
The FSL team sought detailed information about the incident from Bileipada police station OIC Prashant Kumar Samal. However, the village was found deserted during investigation. As the incident has been bracketed within Red Flag category, the additional director general, Crime Branch, is monitoring the probe.
Sources said the team has been asked to complete its investigation within 60 days while its progress will be reviewed every 15 days. Rath said, “Today is the first day of investigation. Everything about the incident will be known.”
Meanwhile, the police have arrested nine persons suspected to be involved in the crime. They are being interrogated, police sources said, adding the main accused of the case is the brother of Gura. According to reports, Gura, his wife Budhuni Munda (30), sons Sunil Munda (16), Kashinath Munda (10) and daughters Somabari Munda (12) and Namita Munda (3) were hacked to death, July 12.
Two other sons of Gura – Ganita Munda (18) and Shambhu Munda (10)—were found lying in a pool of blood. Police rushed them to a hospital for treatment. The bodies were found lying scattered all over the place while the blood stains were cleaned with cow dung in a bid to destroy evidence. Earlier, the police detained a woman and a man of the area for interrogation.
Similar incidents had happened in the district in the past also. A tribal couple of Kolhahundula village under Joda police limits was killed October 21, 2014 while another couple of Jankasahi was hacked to death November 30, 2014. All of them were murdered on the suspicion that they were practising sorcery.