Ghashipura: A man dragged a woman out of her house and hacked her to death allegedly for not serving him ‘handia’ a local country brew at Nialijharan village under this police limits in Keonjhar district, late Sunday night. The deceased was identified as Salke Hembram, wife of Mohan Hembram in the village. Speculations were rife that the murder might have taken place over suspected witchcraft and sorcery as the family members have remained tightlipped and are yet to complain to the local police station. The villagers also refused to comment on the issue. Police rushed to the spot and launched an investigation after the deceased’s brother Ghanashyam visited Ghashipura police station and complained, Monday.
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Police said the villagers attended a mass feast, Sunday. The incident occurred when Mohan and his family members had gone to attend the feast leaving the woman and her elderly mother-in-law at house. Meanwhile, a person visited their house and asked the woman to bring her ‘handia’ from a local vendor. When she denied it, the man flew into rage and dragged her out of the house. There he hacked her to death with sharp weapons, her mother-in-law Sumi said. Despite being aware of his wife’s murder, Mohan did not inform the police. The matter came up before police after the deceased’s brother visited the police station and lodged a complaint about his sister’s murder. A police team led by Anandapur SDPO Prasant Kumar Behera visited the village and conducted an investigation, Monday. Police registered a case and detained a person in this connection while the actual reason behind the murder is yet to be ascertained, the SDPO said.