# Childless Odisha couple dies after sorcerer’s medicine in Kandhamal 2026-08-27T06:35:37+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A childless couple died in Odisha's Kandhamal district after consuming traditional medicine from a local sorcerer. Lalita Kanhar and her husband Kanhu Kanhar, residents of Nedipanga village, had sought help from a sorcerer in the Baliguda area to have a child. After taking the unidentified concoction on Monday, both fell critically ill. Lalita died at Phulbani District Headquarter Hospital. Kanhu was moved to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur but died on Tuesday. Police have registered a case and are searching for the sorcerer. The family alleged the sorcerer caused the deaths. Authorities have warned the public against unsafe medical practices and superstitious remedies. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Superstition-driven deaths in rural Odisha are not isolated, the state's National Crime Records Bureau data shows dozens of deaths annually linked to witchcraft and sorcery practices. Kandhamal, a district with limited healthcare access and high poverty, remains a hotspot. The tragic outcome here follows a common pattern: childless couples desperate for heirs are especially vulnerable to faith healers promising cures. The Odisha government runs a special scheme to counter witch-hunting, but conviction rates under the 2013 Odisha Prevention of Witch Hunting Act remain low. Police need to not only catch this sorcerer but also prove the concoction's contents to build a strong case under culpable homicide rather than just cheating. ## Coverage - odishatv.in Leads with the blind faith angle and cites family allegations but also reports police investigation neutrally, no government blame or defence This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Kandhamal, Kanhu Kanhar, Lalita Kanhar, Odisha, Odisha Police Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/childless-odisha-couple-dies-after-sorcerers-medicine-in-kandhamal/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/childless-odisha-couple-dies-after-sorcerers-medicine-in-kandhamal/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/