A 50-year-old man is fighting for his life at a hospital in Odisha’s Nuapada district after villagers allegedly set him on fire, accusing him of practising black magic, police said on Saturday.
The victim, identified as Kham Singh Majhi, was called to a meeting in Portipada village on Friday evening. During the gathering, a kangaroo court accused him of practising black magic and decided to punish him by tying him up with straw ropes before setting him ablaze, according to local police.
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As the flames engulfed him, Majhi ran through the village, screaming for help. After receiving no assistance, he eventually jumped into a pond to extinguish the fire. His family rescued him from the water and rushed him to the Sinappli government hospital. He was later transferred to the district headquarters hospital due to the severity of his injuries, authorities said.
“The villagers had called a meeting and threatened my father with dire consequences for performing black magic. As he denied the charges, they first beat him up and then set him on fire,” said Majhi’s son Hemlal.
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A case has been registered at the Sinapalli police station, and a search is ongoing for the accused, many of whom fled when police arrived, said Khariar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Arup Behera.
“As per the allegation, an attempt was made to burn him alive. The investigation is now at the preliminary stage. We will ascertain the reason for the attack only after a thorough probe,” he added.