Odisha man beaten to death, body burnt over witchcraft suspicion: Police

A 41-year-old man in Odisha’s Gajapati district was allegedly beaten to death by villagers and his body was burnt after being taken from his home over suspicion that he practised witchcraft, police said on Monday.

Gajapati superintendent of police PS Meena said the victim Ramachandra Malik who was living with his family on a hill in Merama village for several years after villagers suspected him of practising sorcery was allegedly beaten to death and then burnt.

“Officials from Mohana police station have traced the spot where the body was allegedly burnt and recovered bones and ashes. In this connection we have detained five persons and interrogating them,” Meena said.

Police said some villagers of Merama came to Malik’s house on the hillock around 2am and took him away on the pretext of discussing some work.

“His wife Kamalabati who was present at home alleged that the villagers assaulted and killed him after a village meeting and took his body to a nearby forest area, where they set it on fire. Kamalabati, who tried to intervene, was also allegedly assaulted and sustained injuries,” officer said.

Malik’s daughter Moina said that the family was living on the hill because of the villagers’ suspicion against her father. “My father did not practice any witchcraft as is being alleged,” she said.

The incident comes amid the Odisha government’s move to frame the State Policy for Witch-Hunting (Prevention, Protection and Prosecution), 2026.

The proposed policy seeks stronger preventive measures, immediate rescue of victims and faster legal proceedings in witch-hunting cases, particularly in rural and tribal areas.

It also envisages special courts and trained prosecutors for time-bound trials, besides round-the-clock response mechanisms, systematic tracking of cases and action against officials who fail to register complaints or properly investigate such incidents.