Bhubaneswar, Aug 7: In a shocking incident in Odisha’s Gajapati district, Mohana police detained eight individuals on Thursday for allegedly killing a man on suspicion of practising sorcery and burying his body in a forest atop a hillock.

The victim, identified as Karunakar Dalei, hailed from Kamalapur village but had been residing in Kusumpur village for the past eight months. Known for preparing herbal medicines for villagers, Dalei was accused of practising black magic following the sudden death of a 12-year-old boy in the area.

Acting on these suspicions, a group of local youths reportedly abducted Dalei from his house. He was confined for three days at a local anganwadi centre, where he was brutally assaulted. The relentless physical abuse ultimately led to his death. In an attempt to conceal the crime, the accused buried his body in a remote forested area.

Dalei’s family filed a missing person report, which led to a police investigation. The eight suspects were detained for questioning. Police, accompanied by a magistrate and a forensic team, exhumed Dalei’s body from the forest. It will be sent for a post-mortem examination to aid the investigation.

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