Three get life term for killing couple in witch-hunting case

RANCHI: Additional judicial magistrate (AJC) Ranchi on Wednesday sentenced three persons for life in connection with a case of witch hunting. The court passed the order with a rider that the convicts should serve a minimum term of 25 years behind the bars. The case relates to a double murder in Umedanda village of rural Ranchi in 2014 in which the victims were branded as witches
AJC SN Tiwari has also imposed fine of Rs 50,000 each on the convicts with directions that they would have to undergo additional term of two years for default in payment.
The convicted persons are Nagendra Nayak, Ashok Nayak and Chandrabhushan Nayak. All three have been found guilty under section 302 and 34 of Indian Penal Code and section of 4 of Prevention of Witch Hunting Act. Chandabhushan has also been sentenced to one and a half year in prison and fined Rs 5000 for injuring another woman during the incident.
The convicts had killed Paro Devi and her husband Lakshman Nayak on January 6 2014 while alleging that Paro was a witch and had eaten a boy. It may be stated here that boy had died of illness a few days ago.
In her complaint with Burmu police station, Pornima Devi, daughter in-law of the deceased couple, stated that the three convicts along with some women had forcibly entered their house at around 11:30 PM and attacked her father-in- law and mother in-law with knife, sword and axe.
She said the assailants killed the couple on the spot adding Chandrabhushan also attacked her with knife when she tried to intervene. Pornima sustained injuries on her hand and leg in the incident. She said seven-year-old son of her sister-in-law managed to escape the attack by hiding under a table.
Poornima said that there were only four members of family in the house at the time of incident adding that her husband, who worked in the army, was posted in Jammu.