Daijiworld Media Network – Gajapati

Gajapati, Aug 4: In a gruesome case of suspected witch-hunting, a 35-year-old man was brutally murdered and mutilated by a group of villagers in Odisha’s Gajapati district on Saturday night.

The incident occurred at Malasapadar village under Mohana police limits, where locals allegedly strangled the man to death, severed his private part, and dumped his body in the Harabhangi Dam. Police recovered the body on Sunday morning and sent it for post-mortem examination.

According to G Udayagiri Sub-divisional Police Officer Suresh Chandra Tripathy, 14 villagers have been detained for questioning.

Preliminary investigation suggests that villagers suspected the man of practising black magic, believing he was responsible for the death of a middle-aged woman about two weeks ago.

Fearing retaliation, the man had earlier fled with his family to his father-in-law's house in Ganjam district, leaving his sister-in-law to care for his livestock. He returned on Saturday to take his animals but was allegedly abducted and killed by the villagers.

Police said further investigation is ongoing to establish the full sequence of events.