Gumla: In a shocking case of superstition, an elderly man died after being brutally beaten and thrown into a burning funeral pyre in Korambi village here in Jharkhand, leaving the community in shock and disbelief. The gruesome act of personal vendetta has plunged the entire village into mourning.
The tragedy unfolded on Thursday in Gumla district’s Sadar police jurisdiction.
The victim has been identified as 60-year-old, Budheshwar Oraon. According to Sandeep Oran, victim's son, an elderly woman Mangri Oran slipped to death on Thursday when she went to a well to bathe. After the post-mortem, her body was brought back to the village, and her last rites were scheduled for the evening according to Sandeep.
Sandeep alleged that his father had also gone to attend Mangri Oraon’s funeral, where Mangri Oraon’s brother, Jhadi, her son, Karampal Oraon, and others attacked his elderly father, beating him mercilessly. After the assault, they threw him alive into the burning pyre, leading to his painful death, Sandeep said.
The deceased’s son said that when Budheshwar Oraon did not return home, the family began searching for him. Some villagers informed them about the incident. On Friday morning, Sandeep reached the cremation site and found his father’s charred body lying in the pyre, he said.
Upon receiving the report, Gumla police arrived at the scene with a team and initiated an investigation. A forensic team from Ranchi has also been called in to examine the site.
“The case is under investigation. The accused has confessed to his crime and surrendered,” said Surendra Kumar Singh, the officer in charge of the Sadar police station.
It is said that the deceased, Budheshwar Oraon, had earlier practiced as an Ojha-Guni (traditional healer). Villagers suspect that his killing might be linked to allegations of witch-crafting.
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