Girl killed over suspected sorcery

BARGARH: The recovery of a body of a seven-year-old girl on Wednesday has triggered  tension in Tihikipali village under Bheden police limits with allegations of child sacrifice flying thick and fast. The villagers torched the house of a woman suspecting her of practising witchcraft. Meanwhile, the police have handed over the body to the family after autopsy and investigation is on. The girl, identified as Twinkle Pera, had skipped school on Wednesday. Twinkle was playing outside her house before she went missing. The neighbour informed her elder sister of having seen Bijay Haripal of the village trying to dump Twinkle into the newly constructed septic tank in the village. Both the parents were not at home.Later, the villagers found Twinkle’s body in the septic tank. Suspecting sorcery, enraged villagers dragged Nirbani Haripal, her husband Hrushikesh and son Bijay Haripal from Mahulpali weekly market and beat them up before setting their house on fire. SDPO P K Patra and Bheden Police Station IIC Rashmita Patel rushed to the village only to face angry villagers who demanded stringent action against the family.  Father of the victim, Sonu Pera alleged that it was a clear case of child sacrifice. He said Nirbani had been seen performing puja at night.However, Nirbani has refuted charges and her involvement in the death of the child.