Man brutally thrashed, forced to drink urine on suspicion of practising witchcraft

In an incident reported from Odisha’s Balangir district, three people have been taken into police custody after a man was brutally beaten up and forced to drink urine on suspicious of carrying out witchcraft.

The victim, who was identified a Hadibandhu Bagarti is in a state of trauma. He is currently going through medical treatment.

The incident happened in the Paruabhadi area which falls under the jurisdiction of Sindhekela police station in Odisha’s Bolangir on 3rd June. The horrific crime became known when a video of the incident went rife.

As per reports, when many people started getting ill in the village because of an unknown reason, the locals in the area suspected that it was due to the victim's sorcery practice. A meeting of the village heads was then convened, after which the call to punish the victim was taken.

On 3rd July, a group of villagers armed with sticks went to Bagarti's residence, pulled him out of his house, and beat him mercilessly in front of everyone.

On being alerted about the incident, the police arrived at the crime spot and took both groups into their custody, later the police took Bagarti to the hospital. The cops also arrested a few villagers.

"Three people have been arrested, they were charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code," Balangir Police SP Nitin Kushalkar told India Today.

The family member of the victim, identified as Manmoth Bagarti told India Today TV, "They dragged my brother out of our house and thrashed him badly, they forced him to drink urine and eat excreta. I have named all those who thrashed him in the FIR."

Another relative of the victim named Seema stated that, "Instead of detaining those who thrashed him and taking him (the victim) to the hospital, the police detained both -- the victim too. Later they took the victim to the hospital for treatment after we pleaded for medical care."

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