Baripada, Nov. 14: Mayurbhanj police today arrested two persons for killing a 45-year-old woman and her 18-year-old daughter for allegedly practicing witchcraft on Tuesday night at Padharisahi in the Thakurmunda area.

The arrested have been identified as Bahadulla Jung, 55, and his son Laxmidhar Jung, 30. The deceased, Dasama and Durgaei, were their distant relatives. The accused have been remanded in judicial custody.

The accused suspected Dasama of practising black magic and bringing miseries to their family, the police said.

The victims were fast asleep in their house when the duo attacked them with a sharp object. Dasama died on the spot. When her daughter Durgei started screaming for help, the neighbours rushed to their house. By then, the accused fled from the spot. Durgei, who had suffered injuries, died on way to a hospital. After killing the duo, the accused took a blood soaked cloth and worshipped a deity to appease her on the same night, the police said.

Jaykrushna Behera, sub-divisional police officer of Karanjia, who headed the investigation, admitted that it was a case of murder related to witchcraft.

“The father–son duo killed the women suspecting them of practising black magic. The weapon and the blood soaked cloth have been seized. A case of murder has been has been registered against them,” he said.

Of late, there has been a spurt in witchcraft-related murders in the tribal dominated Mayurbhanj despite the state having a specific law to deal with such cases. About a week ago, Bhanu Majhi, 29, killed a 75-year-old widow, Phulamani Majhi of Kendua village under Samakhunta block suspecting her of practising witchcraft. The accused was arrested. “We need a massive awareness programme in the region,” said a social activist.