Superstitions rule roost: women branded witches, roughed up  

Nabarangpur: Blind faith on superstitious practices went awry as three women who were asked to perform puja for well being of some ailing villagers were later branded witches and beaten up on suspicion of practising witchcraft. Such an incident was reported from Sindhiguda village under Papadahandi police limits today.

As per information, locals of the village took help of three women to perform 'Graha Santi' ritual but some from the community started behaving abnormally immediately after.

Suspecting sorcery as cause of the abnormal behaviour, irate villagers detained the three women and manhandled them.

Informed, police rescued the three women and also detained three other villagers on charges of assault.

“Without referring to doctors, the villagers took help of rituals and performed puja with the help of three women but when it went wrong coincidentally, the locals beat them up. We have asked the villagers to refrain from such activities,” a police official said.