Pratapur (Balasore), August 31 (odisha.in) Five years old Muna Singh who has become orphan by the villagers does not know that his parents are no more. He often comes outside of the house to see if they have arrived.
He will not see them rest of his life because some of the residents of Pratap Pur in Orissa’s Balasore district killed them on the night of August 26th for allegedly practicing witchcraft.
Muna is younger son of Soren alias Rabi Singh and Budhini Singh who were mercilessly beaten up and later hacked to death along with two others – Tia Singh and Somabari Singh.
The boy’s elder sisters – Rabibari 10 and Mami 8 along with their parents had in fact come to their uncle (Mamu) Daktar Singh’s house here from their native Telipal village in
neighbouring Mayurbhanj district to spend some time.
The trio had hardly thought that the destiny would be so cruel to them and they would soon be orphans. They were about to leave the place a day after Raksha Bandhan festival on August 28.
“Thursday my aunt told me that Papa and Maa have been killed by some villagers. I have not told it to the children. Muna is always crying. Who will take care of him?” cried Rabibari. They have not taken food properly since then.
The trio has an elder brother Motu Singh 14, who works as a domestic help in a house in Mayurbhanj district. He is also unaware that his parents have been hacked to death.
“My parents were not gunias (witches). They were daily labourers. I couldn’t just under stand why they killed them. God would punish them who killed my parents brutally,” Rabibari added.
Three members from Daktar’s family, including his elder sister Tia, have been killed in the gruesome incident. Budhini and Soren were Daktar’s god-sister and god-brother-in-law. In 2006, Tia’s husband Barega Singh was killed on same the charges.
Sebati, wife of Daktar however has agreed to take care of the children. “I have no children. They will stay with me and I would definitely take care of them,” she assured.
Following death of the 16-year-old son of local ward member Siba Singh due to snake bite, a village committee meeting was called in the playground where four, including three women were held guilty for the death and pronounced death sentence.
A villager Rabi Singh said, “His son Raju was not taken to the hospital. A tantrik from Mayurbhanj was called to save his life who told someone had performed witchcraft. This led to the villagers to suspect sorcery and commit the murder.”
Describing the incident Daktar said that in that incident night a villager Ranjan Singh called them to the meeting place and restricted me not to present there. “The meeting was presided by Siba. Five persons then beat up them and hacked to death before throwing them into the river while more then a hundred were mute spectators.”
All the residents of Kolha Sahi, a part of Pratap Pur, where the incident happened, have fled fearing police arrest. This hill-side hamlet houses about a hundred families.
Meanwhile, police have arrested four persons – Anjan Singh, his brother Ranjan Singh, Narottam Singh and Suvendu Satapathy of Pratap Pur village have been arrested in this connection Friday.
“Following prima-facie evidences we have arrested them. Ranjan is the one of the principal accused and has confessed to have committed the murder. Raids are on to nab other accused persons, including Siba Singh, the ward member,” investigating officer Santosh Dash told Odisha.in.
Police have engaged two boats in a nearby river to find out another body and the heads. Three dead bodies were recovered earlier.
odisha.in