Ranchi: A 60-year-old man was beaten to death in a village in Jharkhand's Angada district for allegedly practising witchcraft, a police official said on Wednesday.
The deceased and his wife were allegedly beaten up by their neighbours, who accused them of practising black magic. The deceased's wife was admitted to a nearby hospital with severe injuries. Five women have been arrested in this connection.
The incident took place in Jarga village under Angada police station on late Tuesday night. The deceased, identified as Baleshwar Oraon succumbed to his injuries on the spot while his wife is undergoing treatment.
Angada police station in-charge Chamra Minj said Oraon had a dispute with his neighbours over alleged practise of witchcraft. Late last night, five women from the neighbourhood, barged into the couple's house and mercilessly assaulted them. They started beating up the elderly couple and also pelted stones at them. The man died of severe injuries.
Based on an FIR lodged by the couple's son, five women were arrested. The accused have been identified as Anima Munda, Juliana Tirkey, Samari Devi, Dashmi Devi and Duliya Oraon.
Silli DSP Ranveer Singh said a case has been registered in Angada police station under the Prevention of Witch (Daain) Practices Act, 1999 on the statement of the deceased's son. "All the five accused involved in the murder of the elderly man have been arrested. They have also confessed to their crime. Further investigations are underway," Singh said.
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