Four tribals held for killing 'sorcerer'

By Our Staff Reporter

SRIKAKULAM, DEC. 3. Ramarayi is a remote tribal hamlet, about 8 km from the national highway near the cahsew trading centre of Palasa. Till last week, it hardly attracted any attention though men in the village, belonging to the Savara tribe, have been dying frequently. Eight men died this year. Believing that a 58- year-old tribal, Dalesu, was a sorcerer who caused the death, four tribals, all in the age group of 20 years, done him to death on November 21. They were arrested by the police on November 30.

The habitation, with the 8 km rough road from the highway and nestling at the foot of the hills, has 24 houses, some under the same roof but divided into small portions. The total population is put at 100. The number of men is 40. After the series of deaths, the only man alive now above the age of 40 years is the 60-year-old Gopalam.

According to Gopalam, all those who died this year had more or less the same symptoms though he believes the disease did not lead to their death. They had shivering when running temperature, breathlessness and giddiness. When they take medicines given by the ANM or the health visitor the fever subsides but returns. Gopalam says the victims took treatment at Government and private hospitals at Palasa but invariably died. Doctors who examined them say that they were anaemic.

According to sources, the habit which makes tribals vulnerable is their addiction to the country brew which they consume liberally. But, even after seeing various phases through which the villagers had gone through before succumbing, Gopalam believes that they were victims of "Chillangi" (withcraft) by Dalesu.

According to Gopalam, Dalesu never accompanied tribals when they go to cremate those who died. Tribals believe that the person who practised "Chillangi" never accompanies others for the cremation. Dalesu soon became a target of tribals' growing suspicion. As each man died, Dalesu became the target of their ire. All the eight who died this year were aged between 15 and 35. It is the last of the eight, Achchayya's death, that proved the last straw. Four tribals went to Dalesu's house, called him out and after an altercation killed him by punching and kicking at a school which is at the end of one row of houses in the village. He was cremated and the villagers fled.

Police investigation is on after Dalesu's wife lodged a complaint, registered as missing first, with the VAO bringing to light the killing on November 29.

Gopalam and the villagers still believe that Dalesu had already used "Chillangi" on other men and only time will tell whether they would survive. Varalakshmi, a fifth class student, says her brother is at present suffering from fever at a hospital, and doubts whether he would survive or not. Other women in the village also believe so.

Gopalam firmly believes in the powers of witchcraft of Dalesu. He would go to cremation grounds after a person was burnt, call him back to life, talk to him and kill him again. This according to him is what a sorcerer would do. Ironically, Dalesu's son-in-law, Raja Rao (25), was one of those who died this year. Asked whether Dalesu would kill his son-in-law by sorcery, Gopalam says "he would do anything."

According to Gopalam, about 16 men died in the village in the last two years. And the village seemed to totally hold Dalesu responsible for the killing. Gopalam said in spite of several warnings, Dalesu did not mend his ways. The police are on the look for six accomplices in the case.

The Kasibugga DSP, Mr. C. Harikrishna, says the superstitious belief in witchcraft is not only widespread among tribals but even among the educated in the plain areas of the region. This was the first incident of the kind that came to light in the area that revealed the death of tribals. From no other tribal village deaths have been reported.

Says Mr. Y. Krishnamohan, an advocate, who is closely associated with tribals in the area, "all the Government departments concerned with tribal welfare, - ITDA, Revenue and Health - should work hard to dispel the superstitions of tribals and cure the `strange' diseases they are suffering from".

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Section  : Southern States
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