Jharsuguda: In a crude reminder of the brutal consequences of religious superstition, a girl was beaten to death by her relatives in Bijapalli village under Rengali Police station of Jharsuguda district on late Thursday night.
According to sources, the incident occurred when deceased, Sanjukta Jayapuria was invited by her cousin sisters Soudamini and Santoshini for offering worship to Lord Shiva. However, after the puja began, Santoshini and Soudamini started dancing vigorously which left all the people present scared. Some of the people left the puja after such erratic behaviour of the sisters. Then the cousin sisters stripped Sanjukta off her clothes and cut her hair. Then they turned violent and started dancing on Sanjukta's chest and attacked her with a 'Trishul' (Trident). They also pounded Sanjukta with a stone. Police said, the accused claimed to have been possessed by Lord Brahma & Lord Bishnu before the attack.
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Later, the villagers captured the two girls and locked them in a room before informing the police. Surprisingly, both the accused have been identified as college-going students.
"I have not killed her. She herself asked me to do so in order to get peace," said one accused.
"In a place where the parents of her were present, how can I be able to kill her. I don't know what happened and I cannot recollect," said the other accused.
'I protested, but then I was also beaten up," said victim's father.
“As per the statement, the accused claim that they were possessed by Lord Brahma and Lord Bishnu. They beat the girl leading to her death on the spot where worship was being offered. A case has been registered and investigation is on. After investigation is over, we will be able to find out who else is involved and subsequently legal action will be initiated. We have detained the two accused girls,” said Brajarajnagar SDPO, Nruparaj Dandasena.