In Nilgiri an 80 -year -old man and his daughter were allegedly thrashed by their neighubours and made to drink cow dung solution driven by superstitions that they were practicing sorcery.
While victims lodged an FIR in this connection with the Nilgiri police, on the other hand , their neighbour too lodged a counter FIR.
The police after registering two separate cases arrested one of main accused, Shantilata Barik (56).
According to the allegation of Parsuram Barik of Kahalia under Ward-10 of Nilgiri NAC, a group of eight people headed by his neighbour Shantilata attacked him on Monday alleging he was practicing black magic by keeping deities in his backyard .
He was asked to throw the deities out. Shantilata alleged that due to the sorcery, her daughter –in –law was not recovering from an unknown illness.
A sorcerer of their area had hinted that due to the black magic power of Parsuram, Shantilata and her family were facing health issues.
On refusing to concede to throw the deities away, they dragged Parsuram out and tied him in a tree, besides bashing him. They also allegedly made him eat cow dung solution.
His daughter while coming to rescue him she too faced the same fate, Parsuram alleged.
But Shantilata and others said their neighbour Parsuram was cutting a tree from a disputed land and when they asked to stop, the father and daughter duo abused them.
The police after registering cases sent Parsuram and his daughter to medical for treatment and arrested Shantilata.
According to IIC Nilgiri Minati Biswal, others including Shantilata's husband were absconding and a hunt was on.