Daijiworld Media Network - Lohardaga

Lohardaga, Oct 9: In a chilling incident rooted in superstition, three members of a family were brutally murdered in their sleep on Wednesday night in Kekrang Bartoli village, located in Jharkhand’s Lohardaga district. Police suspect the killings were carried out by locals who believed the family was involved in witchcraft.

The victims have been identified as Laxman Nagesia (47), his wife Bifani Nagesia (45), and their nine-year-old son Ramvilas Nagesia. The attack occurred under the jurisdiction of Peshrar police station.

According to initial investigations, the assailants used sharp weapons, including an axe and a spade, to slit the throats of the victims while they were asleep. After committing the murders, the attackers locked the house from outside and fled the scene.

The crime was discovered the next morning when neighbours noticed the family had not opened their doors and alerted authorities. Police officials, including SDPO Vedant Shankar and Station House Officer Virendra Kumar, arrived at the scene and recovered the bodies, which were later sent for post-mortem.

Only one member of the family survived the attack — Sukhmania Nagesia, the daughter-in-law, who was locked in another room during the incident. In her statement to the police, she said the family had been targeted and harassed by villagers over accusations of witchcraft for some time.

She also revealed that a village panchayat had recently been held regarding the same allegations.

“On Wednesday night, my father-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law were sleeping when several men forced their way in and killed them. I was locked inside my room and couldn’t call for help,” she told police.

Police have confirmed that witchcraft-related suspicion appears to be the central motive but stated that other angles are being investigated as well.

“We are examining all leads, and teams have been deployed to trace and arrest the culprits. The case will be solved soon,” said SDPO Shankar.

Local sources indicate that rumours and tensions involving witchcraft accusations had been circulating in the village for months. The murders have sent shockwaves through Kekrang Bartoli and surrounding areas, with residents expressing fear, anger, and demands for justice.

Community leaders and villagers have called for strict action against those involved, and urged the government to take a tougher stance against violence stemming from superstitions, which remain disturbingly prevalent in many tribal and rural areas of Jharkhand.

Authorities are continuing the investigation and have promised swift arrests.