Bhubaneswar, Oct. 21: A couple was murdered in the tribal-dominated Keonjhar district on Sunday for allegedly practising witchcraft.

The deceased were identified as Mangala Munda, 58, and Sukramani Munda, 52, of Kolahundula village within Joda police limits in Keonjhar district.

The bodies of the deceased were recovered today from a forest adjoining their village.

Both the husband and wife had been hacked with an axe. Eleven people have so far been arrested in connection with the case. Such incidents of killing continue despite the state government having enacted a law to prevent witch-hunting.

This was the second murder relating to witchcraft in the district in the past one month. In the neighbouring Mayurbhanj district, eight such cases have been reported during this year only (see chart).

The earlier incident had taken place in Keonjhar district on October 9 at Saharpur village within the Bansapal police limits. In this case the villagers, who suspected the couple of engaging in black magic, slit their throats.

Police said the couple went to the forest to collect firewood on Sunday, but had been missing since then.

Sources said the couple invited the wrath of fellow villagers after one of them had developed high fever. The villagers blamed the alleged practice of black magic by the couple for the man’s illness.

Director-general of police Sanjeev Marik said: “I have asked all superintendents of police to act tough with such cases. The state government has also brought a new law to check these crimes. We are also planning to initiate an awareness campaign on this issue.”

The Assembly in its winter session had passed the Odisha Prevention of Witch-hunting Bill, 2013, aiming to curb the practice or the use of supernatural or magical powers with evil intention. The bill became an act in February last. Offences under the new law is treated as non-bailable and invites imprisonment up to three years and a penalty of Rs 1,000 for abetting and provoking witch-hunting.

No one can force a woman, branding her as a witch, to drink or eat an inedible substance or parade her with painted face. People found guilty of such acts might face imprisonment up to five years.

Reacting to spurt in such incidents, noted sociologist Rita Ray said: “The law alone cannot check such acts borne out of superstition. A mass awareness programme should be launched to curb such practices. The lack of confidence in the modern system of medicine has also led to the spread of black magic.”

However, Ray is of the view that such offences are not confined to the lower social strata or the tribal areas only.

It has affected even the higher and educated classes though they manage to cover up their crimes most of the times.

Sociologist D.N. Jena said that lack of education, awareness and access to appropriate health facilities among the poor, especially the tribals, was the major reasons for witchcraft related crimes.

Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, district collector Mayurbhanj, said: “We have a drawn a blueprint to combat the superstition which is breeding such crimes. We are preparing audio-visual clips to educate people and setting up youth groups in vulnerable areas to highlight the ill-effects of superstition through street plays and video clips.”