Now Reading: Childless Odisha couple dies after sorcerer’s medicine in Kandhamal
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Childless Odisha couple dies after sorcerer’s medicine in Kandhamal
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…
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.
Source: odishatv.in
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
