A 41-year-old man in Odisha’s Gajapati district was allegedly beaten to death by villagers and his body was burnt after being taken from his home over suspicion that he practised witchcraft, police said on Monday.
“Officials from Mohana police station have traced the spot where the body was allegedly burnt and recovered bones and ashes. “His wife Kamalabati who was present at home alleged that the villagers assaulted and killed him after a village meeting and took his body to a nearby forest area, where they set it on fire. The proposed policy seeks stronger preventive measures, immediate rescue of victims and faster legal proceedings in witch-hunting cases, particularly in rural and tribal areas.
The incident comes amid the Odisha government’s move to frame the State Policy for Witch-Hunting (Prevention, Protection and Prosecution), 2026.
In this connection we have detained five persons and interrogating them,” Meena said. Police said some villagers of Merama came to Malik’s house on the hillock around 2am and took him away on the pretext of discussing some work. Kamalabati, who tried to intervene, was also allegedly assaulted and sustained injuries,” officer said.
Because of the villagers’ suspicion against her father, malik’s daughter Moina said that the family was living on the hill.
Gajapati superintendent of police PS Meena said the victim Ramachandra Malik who was living with his family on a hill in Merama village for several years after villagers suspected him of practising sorcery was allegedly beaten to death and then burnt. “My father did not practice any witchcraft as is being alleged,” she said.
