4 persons arrested for killing elderly man, injuring wife on witchcraft suspicion

Rourkela: Four men were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly killing an elderly man on suspicion of practising sorcery in Kendakhal village in Sundargarh district on Monday night.

His wife sustained grievous injury in the assault by the accused and has been admitted to the Sundargarh district headquarters hospital.The deceased has been identified as Mahadev Pradhan (65) of Sanpatrapali, Kendakhol village under Sadar police station limits. The four accused from the same village barged into the house of Mahadev and his wife Urmila Pradhan (61) on Monday around 7.30 pm and assaulted the couple with stick, iron pipe and knife suspecting the couple of practising witchcraft.

Mahadev died on the spot.Jayanti Bag, Mahadev’s daughter lodged an FIR in Sadar police station. The arrested have been identified as Kumod Bag(37), Laba Kujur(22), Siba Pradhan(40) and Pramod Bag(35). Police have seized the weapons from them, said N Mohapatra, SDPO, Sadar, Sundargarh.