Baripada, Sept. 1: The Mayu-rbhanj police on Sunday arrested two persons for allegedly murdering a 40-year-old widow of Dighi village under Jamda police station on suspicion of witchcraft. The accused, Sundar Mohan Murmu and his cousin Fakir Murmu, have been sent to jail today after their bail petitions were rejected.

The police found the beheaded body, along with the chopped hands and legs, of the deceased, Singo Murmu, in a gunny bag on August 18 at Dunguri near village Rugudidihi.

On July 27, Sundar Mohan’s 11-year-old daughter died due to some ailment. His elder son was also not keeping well. Sundar suspected that black magic practised by Singo was causing all the problems. That is when he and his cousin decided to kill her.

On August 16, the accused went to Singo’s house at night and strangulated her to death. Then they packed her body in a bag and took it to a nearby hilly area in Dunguri. To prevent her being identified, they beheaded the body and chopped off the hands and legs and buried them.