Bengaluru-based techie set ablaze by his relative on suspicion of practicing black magic

Telangana Police have begun a probe into the death of a 38-year-old software engineer who was killed in Jagtial district. Initial reports indicate that the Bengaluru-based techie was set on fire by his relative on suspicion that he performed black magic.

The incident happened in Malyala mandal of Telangana's Jagtial district on Monday evening when the software engineer was visiting a relative. While the exact motive behind the murder is still unknown, police have filed a case in this regard on the basis of a complaint from the victim's father.

Earlier in October, a similar incident was reported from Jharkhand, where a mob allegedly stripped and thrashed three women and a man on suspicion of them practicing witchcraft. The women and their male acquaintance were paraded naked around Narayanpur village by a mob.

Likewise, two people, including a 50-year-old women, were killed in Assam's Karbi Anglong district last month on the suspicion that they were involved in occult practices. Police officials said that incident happened in Rohimapur village and nine locals were taken into custody for killing the two and incinerating their bodies.

Reports at the time had suggested that a kangaroo court comprising village elders had branded the two victims as 'witches' while holding them responsible for the death of a local girl.

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