Cuttack, Jan 15: The Orissa High Court has commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment of nine accused in 2016 murder case in Rayagada.

The Rayagada District Session Court had earlier penalised the accused with death sentence after finding them guilty. However, the verdict has been commuted by the Orissa HC in Cuttack sentencing them to life imprisonment.

The accused had killed three members of a family in suspicion of witchcraft in Kitung village under Putasing police station in Rayagada district.

As per the report, the accused had suspected that the family -- a man, his wife and a daughter -- was performing witchcraft and black magic. So the accused had decided to kill the family.

After finding the accused guilty in the case, the Rayagada District Session Court had sentenced them to death October 21, 2021.

However, the Orissa HC commuted the verdict and sentenced all the accused to life imprisonment instead.

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