Jajpur, July 20: In a shocking incident, an elderly couple was burnt to death on Sunday on suspicion of practising witchcraft in Odisha. The incident took place at night at Nimapali village of Jajpur district when the couple was sleeping. The elderly couple was identified as Shaila and Basanti Balumuch. Jharkhand Horror: Mother-Daughter Killed Over Witchcraft Allegation in West Singhbhum District.

According to a report published in Hindustan Times, a witch doctor allegedly branded a woman’s face with a hot iron. He also forced her to eat pig’s excreta to cure her of an ailment. Miscreants then set the house of the elderly couple on fire. Villagers suspected the couple of practising witchcraft after six to seven people of the village died due to unknown reasons. Odisha Shocker: Man Beheads Woman After She Fails in ‘Witchcraft Skills’, Walks Into Police Station With Severed Head.

Tipu Buliuli, the brother-in-law of Basanti, alleged that the couple was not on good terms with villagers and they false accuse Shaila and Basanti of practising witchcraft. “We have seized the burnt bodies of the couple and sent them to the hospital for postmortem. We are looking into the allegation of the couple being killed over suspicion of sorcery,” reported the media house quoting Jajpur’s Superintendent of Police Charan Singh Meena as saying.

It was the second incident when someone was murdered on suspicion of practising witchcraft in the district in July this year. Earlier this month, a woman was also murdered because of the same reason.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 20, 2020 05:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).