Six arrested for killing Ranchi woman on suspicion of practising witchcraft

Ranchi: The police on Thursday arrested six people who killed a woman, identified as Etwari Kumari (35), on suspicion of practising witchcraft, at Taladih village under the jurisdiction of Tamar police station of Ranchi district on February 1.

The culprits shot the woman dead.On Friday, SP (Ranchi rural) Praveen Pushkar said the accused people had burnt the woman’s body to give the impression that she died due to a fire from her domestic oven.The post-mortem examination report, however, revealed the real cause of death, he said, informing that a case was registered under the relevant sections of BNS and the Arms Act in connection with the incident.Pushkar said a team formed to investigate the case arrested the accused Sonaram Lohra, Soma Lohra, Lakhicharan Munda, Kalicharan Munda, Anil Lohra, and the shooter Vishnu Mahto from Taladih and Samlong villages of the district.The SP also said that Sonaram suspected that the victim, who was his sister-in-law, killed two of his sons through witchcraft, and he hatched a conspiracy to kill her. The pistol used in the crime was seized, Pushkar added.