Date:31/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/31/stories/2007083162381600.htm

National

Four beheaded in Orissa

Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR: Four persons, including three women, were beheaded allegedly by a group of villagers who suspected that they were practising ‘sorcery.’

Their heads and torsos were severed in the presence of over 100 armed villagers on August 25, police said.

A so-called village panchayat sentenced the victims to death after holding them responsible for the death of a 17-year-old boy. The teenager died of snakebite on the night of August 14, police said.

“We have traced all the headless bodies from different points of Sono and Burhabalang rivers. We are questioning a few persons to catch hold of the culprits,” officer-in-charge of the Nilagiri police station, B. N. Rout, said.

The victims were identified as Somabari Sing, Pia Singh, Budini Sing and Soren Sing, all belonging to the Kohla tribe. Budini and Soren of Ayurbhanj district had come to visit their daughter’s in-laws.

According to reports from Balasore district, the son of Siba Sing, an influential resident and ward member of the village, died of snakebite. Siba said that the snake sneaked into his son’s bed under sorcerers’ spell.

After 10 days, Siba called a village meeting where it was decided to behead the four.