LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Dumka, Sept 26: Police have arrested six persons and are on the hunt to nab others for allegedly forcing four persons including three women to consume human excreta and branding them with hot iron rods on the pretext of practising witchcraft.
The horrific incident took place in Aswari village under Saraiyahaat police station of the district on Sunday which could however come to the light the same evening only as the victims were too terrorised after undergoing the miseries to turn up to the police.
The victims have been identified as Kolo Tudu (45), Sonmuni Tudu (47), Rosy Murmu (55), all women, and Srilal Murmu who were rushed to the community health centre (CHC) at Saraiyahaat block headquarters after a police team rushed to the village following been informed about the incident from some other sources.
Two victims were later referred for better treatment owing to the gravity of their injuries and are undergoing treatment at a Deoghar-based hospital.
According to the FIR lodged with the Saraiyahaat police station late evening on Sunday based on the statement of one of the victims Kolo Tudu a group of villagers resorted to forcing her and other victims to consume human excreta and branded them with hot iron roads alleging them to have been performing black magic on the children of the family of one Jyotin Murmu of the village.
Murmu according to the police had allegedly called a meeting with co villagers on Sunday when it was resolved to punish the victims that way.
Those named in the FIR include Jyotin Murmu himself, Muni Soren, Lakhiram Murmu, Sunil Murmu, Umesh Murmu and Manual Murmu besides a few others who are being identified to bring them to the book.
“All the six named accused were soon arrested and attempts are on to identify and nab others,” the inspector of police of Hasdiha circle Nawal Kishore Singh said adding that the allegations against the accused persons were prima facie found to be true.
“Different sections of the IPC and witchcraft act were imposed against the accused persons who were forwarded to the judicial custody today” the inspector added.
