Hyderabad: A 24-year-old man, who went missing on Wednesday night, was allegedly hacked to death on the suspicion that he was practising black magic, at Shamirpet on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
According to the police, Anjaneyulu, a resident of Adrasupalli in Shamirpet Mandal, went missing from his home last night.
However, it is suspected that the youth was burnt after being thrown into the funeral pyre of a 45-year-old woman, G Lakshmi, who was ill for the last six years and had died on Tuesday.
According to locals, family members of the woman, along with some other villagers suspected that she died after Anjaneyulu performed black magic on her.
The villagers who saw Anjaneyulu at the woman's funeral hacked him to death with a sickle, the locals alleged, adding that they then burnt his body and fled the spot.
On receiving information, police rushed to the spot and commenced the investigation.
"A blood spot and a handkerchief were found near the spot. The remains of bones were also seized from the pyre. We will send these for analysis and first conduct victim identification," Balanagar DCP PV Padmaja said.
"It is suspected that Balram, a relative of Lakshmi was behind the crime. However, there are a few contradictions in the villagers' accounts," she added, saying that facts are currently being verified.
Meanwhile, a manhunt has been launched to nab the accused.
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