Lathor: In a suspected case of human sacrifice, the body of a minor boy who had been missing since Thursday afternoon was recovered by the police from a hillock near Jhalialiti village under Lathor police limits in Bolangir district, Friday. The deceased was identified as Somanath Bemal, 11, son of Tapan Bemal, a resident of Jalpankel.
According to reports, Somanath went out to play Thursday afternoon but did not return home. His family launched a frantic search but could not trace him. The boy’s grandfather lodged a missing complaint at Lathor police station.
Meanwhile, some youths of the village who were also searching for the child found the body lying on the hillock. Lathor IIC, Rakesh Behera, along with a team initiated an investigation. The angry villagers staged a blockade on KaruanjharLathor road demanding the arrest of a villager, Dolamani Rana, whom they accused of sacrificing the boy. Khaprakhol Tehsildar Aditya Prasad Mishra, Patanagarh SDPO Sadananda Pujhari, a dog squad from Bhawanipatna and a forensic team started an investigation. The villagers attacked ASI Jatindra Badhei when he shouted at the agitators. After a lot of effort, the police managed to rescue the ASI from the angry villagers.
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Police registered a case and detained the accused for questioning. SDPO Pujhari said that after preliminary investigation it is suspected that the boy has been murdered. The exact reason behind the death will be ascertained after arrival of the post-mortem report, Pujhari added.