Malkangiri, Jan 6: Superstition seems to prevail in the Malkangiri district. This is understood from the fact that a group of villagers, with the help of some Guniyas, recently moved a cot around their village to nab a person, as they said, responsible for the deaths of some co-villagers in the past few days.

The Malkangiri police have arrested six people from Chhattisgarh in this connection.

According to the information, several people died in Chitapari-4 village of Malkangiri's Orkel police station in the last few days. Supspeting that someone from the village killed the innocent by practicing sorcery, villagers conducted a puja.

For this, they brought six 'Guniyas' (witchcraft practitioners) from the Bastar district of neighbouring Chhattisgarh on a hiring basis. While the Guniyas moved a cot around the village, villagers, as advised, danced to the tune of their Mantra. The cot was moved over every villager's head.

For this, a donation of Rs 3000 was collected from each house and money was borrowed from the moneylender by pledging the village temple's land. Rs 3 lakh and two black goats were given to the Guniyas for their witchcraft application in the village. Other expenses were also met.

Finally, an 80-year-old man was made responsible for the death of villagers in the last few days.

Acting on a complaint, the Orkel police rose to action and arrested the six Guniyas.

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