Four persons were arrested on charge of killing four people including a couple and having buried the bodies in a forest near Mankadachua village under Ganjam district's Badagada police station limit.
The accused - identified as Basudeb Gamang, Bipra Rait, Gouranga Mandal and Bambada Gamang of the same village - were arrested for beating up the four to death, Sub-divisional Police Officer, Aska, Subash Panda said.
The deceased were identified as Bhima Gamang, 38, his wife Jeni, 36, his cousin Chandra Gamang 55 and one of his friends Ananda Rait, 48 of Mankadachua village.
After retrieving the bodies from the nearby jungle, police sent them to MKCG Medical College and Hospital here for post-mortem, said
Police recovered two motorbikes of the deceased persons from the jungle, he said.
Suspecting Bhima might be practicing the witchcraft in the village and had relationship with the wife one of the accused persons, they allegedly beat him to death.
Other persons, including Bhima's wife were also killed when they intervened during the attack, police said.
"Investigation is on to ascertain the exact cause of the crime. The police were waiting for the post-mortem report to expedite the investigation", the SDPO said.
