Berhampur, Sep 17 An Odisha court on Thursday awarded life imprisonment to 12 people for killing a man and his son in Odisha’s Gajapati district five years ago on the suspicion of practicing witchcraft.
Additional District and Sessions Judge of Paralakhemudi, H P Pattanaik, also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each of the convicts, failing which they would have to undergo another six months rigorous imprisonment, said public prosecutor Rajesh Kumar Mishra.
The court announced its verdict after recording the statements of 23 witnesses, Mishra said.
The convicted persons had killed Luka Dalabehra and his son Anuka at Kusumsahi field on the outskirts of Muthaguda village on June 12, 2021, for allegedly practicing witchcraft
Police had arrested all of them on June 15, 2021.
