Odisha horror: Mother-daughter hacked to death over witchcraft suspicion in Sambalpur village

SAMBALPUR: A suspected case of superstition-driven violence in Odisha’s Sambalpur district has left two women dead after they were allegedly hacked to death over witchcraft suspicions, police said on Monday. The incident took place in Giripali Khadiapada village under Sason police station limits when a 60-year-old woman, Urkuli Patra, and her 35-year-old married daughter, Lilima Joda, were asleep in the front yard of their house on Sunday night, Sambalpur Additional Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar Mishra said after visiting the spot. Preliminary findings suggest that a local youth, identified as Ajay Pradhan, allegedly attacked the mother-daughter duo with an axe, killing both on the spot, he said. “Pradhan had himself informed the police about the incident and during investigation, police suspected that he was the accused,” the officer said, adding that the murder weapon was recovered from near the bodies. Authorities said the killings are suspected to have stemmed from the accused’s belief that the victims were practising witchcraft. However, police said he is being questioned to determine the exact motive and sequence of events. A scientific team has also been deployed to the scene to collect evidence, and further investigation is underway, the officer added. Sources said Lilima had been staying at her parental home for some time.