2 women killed on suspicion of witchcraft in C'garh

Three youths were today arrested for allegedly killing two middle-aged women whom they suspected of practising witchcraft in Balrampur district of northern Chhattisgarh, police said.
The women were murdered on August 11 in their native Mahutoli village under Kusmi police station of Balrampur, they said.
"The accused, identified as Amrish (24), Sandeep (23) and Ranjeet (26), residents of the same village, were apprehended from a bus stand when they were trying to escape," Balrampur Superintendent of Police (SP) GS Darro told PTI over phone.
During interrogation, they claimed that Patrangi Bai and Sukhmanya Bai, of the same family, were involved in black magic practices.

They said that it was because of the two women that they had lost few family members and many were keeping ill, the SP said.
"According to the accused, they first strangulated the women and later slit their throats," he said.
On Monday, villagers found the bodies of women, following which a case was registered against the three youths on suspicion.
A case under section 302 (34) of the IPC and 4 & 5 of the Chhattisgarh Witchcraft Atrocities (Prevention) Act, 2005, has been registered against them, the SP added.