Witchcraft murder: Two get life term in Gajapati

The District and Sessions Judge on Friday sentenced two persons to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of one Gopal Sabar in Badmasi village under the Garabhand police station in Gajapati district on October 11, 2015.

Gopal was killed by some villagers on suspicion of practicing witchcraft.  Earlier police had arrested three persons in connection with the murder case. While two persons Gangadhar Bhuyan and Narayan Sabar of Badmasi village were found guilty, a woman Sashi Bhuyan was acquitted for lack of evidence, informed Public Prosecutor Rokam Janardan Rao.

Earlier, a resident of the village fell sick. Though he got treated at different hospitals his condition did not improve. Some people of the village suspected that Gopa of the village had resorted to witchcraft following which the person got sick.  So, they called Gopal from his house and beat him to death with lathis, according to the complaint filed by the deceased’s son Madhu Sabar with the police.