Three lynched on witchcraft charges in separate incidents

Time of India


LOHARDAGA: Three persons, including an elderly couple, were lynched in separate incidents after being branded as practising " witch craft" in Lohardaga and Latehar districts, the police said. 

Sushil Oraon (50) and his 45-year-old wife Jhibi Oraon were beaten with lathis and then their throats were slit at Lawagai village in Lohardga district on Thursday night, Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Singh told reporters in Lohardaga. 

Quoting villagers that the man and his wife were victims of superstition, Singh said twenty persons were being interrogated in connection with the incident. 

Oraon was a Pahan (village priest) for the last fifteen years. 

Both the SP and Lohardaga Deputy Commissioner Ratan Kumar visited the village during the day and took stock of the situation. 

"The guilty will be punished," the officials told reporters. 

In a separate incident in neighbouring Latehar district, one Bhisriya Ganju was beaten to death on similar ground yesterday, the police said. 

Santosh Ganju and Sibu Ganju surrendered before the police, claiming responsibility for the murder, the sources added.