Seven people have been arrested by Khalikote police in Ganjam for torturing a man on suspicion of sorcery in Kalenjipalli village. The victim, Sahadev Pradhan, was accused of practicing witchcraft after a seven-year-old boy died and five others fell sick. The villagers dragged Sahadev out of his house, assaulted him, and tied him to an electric pole. Police intervened before they could force-feed him human excreta. The arrested individuals have been produced in court, and an investigation is ongoing to apprehend others involved in the incident. Express News Service reported
Seven individuals have been apprehended by Khalikote police in Ganjam for allegedly subjecting a man to torture on suspicions of sorcery in the village of Kalenjipalli on Saturday evening. The victim, identified as Sahadev Pradhan, is 57 years old. According to the police, last month, a seven-year-old boy from Kalenjipalli died under mysterious circumstances, while five other children fell ill. The villagers believed that sorcery was the cause behind these incidents. Due to Sahadev’s regular visits to a local religious institution over the past few months, some villagers began spreading rumors that he was involved in practicing witchcraft.
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On Saturday, when Sahadev emerged from his house, a group of villagers forcefully took him to the road and subjected him to a merciless assault. Despite his pleas of innocence, the villagers refused to listen and subsequently tied him to an electric pole. They even planned to feed Sahadev human excreta before the police intervened at the scene.
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