Malkangiri: A man was allegedly beaten to death while his son was also attacked severely when the latter was trying to save his father at a village meeting in Kangurukonda village under Kalimela block of Malkangiri district, Wednesday, over suspected practicing of witchcraft and sorcery.
The deceased has been identified as Padia Madkami of the village. On being informed, a team of Kalimela police led by IIC Raghunath Majhi rushed to the spot and detained some youths before interrogating them in this connection. Police sent the body for post-mortem and further investigations are on.
A scientific team from Koraput was also pressed into service and a case registered in this connection, the IIC said.
According to sources, Madkami was on the radar of the villagers over his alleged practice of witchcraft and sorcery as he was always conducting some rituals at his home. A week back, a woman of his family had fallen ill for which her family members consulted some sorcerer instead of hospitalising her.
Later, the woman died which reinforced the suspicion of villagers and others that the woman died due to alleged sorcery and witchcraft practice of Madkami.
Wednesday’s ghastly incident occurred when over 60 villagers had assembled near the village road to participate in the 10th day rituals of the deceased woman. Madkami and his son Bira were also present there.
The villagers were into discussion when some irate locals thrashed Madkami on the spot suspecting him of practicing witchcraft. They beat him up with lathis leading to his death on the spot. The irate youths also assaulted Bira when he tried to save his father. Failing in his bid, he fled the scene and saved his life.
Reports said that sorcery is a vicious practice in the remote and tribal hinterlands of the state where the tribal inhabitants rely on witchcraft to cure diseases and ward off evil forces by invoking their gods and goddesses despite advancement in healthcare services.
Even in urban areas, most educated people believe in black magic. Many fall prey to suspected witchcraft and sorcery practice with superstition ingrained in the minds of people.