Suspected of witchcraft, youth lynched in Telangana

Not far from the hi-tech city of Hyderabad, the relatives of a deceased woman axed a 24-year old youth and burnt his body on the same pyre as the woman.

The vengeful act unfolded out of suspicion that the victim performed black magic on the woman that resulted in her death. The gory incident took place Adraspalli village of Shamirpet block on Hyderabad outskirts on Wednesday but came to light on Thursday.

According to Shamirpet police, Gara Lakshmi, 45, died on Wednesday after a prolonged illness. She had been suffering from ailments for several years. The family grew suspicious about Boyini Anjaneyulu, of the same village, thinking that he had performed witchcraft on her.

On Wednesday evening, they performed the last rites on Lakshmi and were expecting that Anjaneyulu would come to the cremation ground.  Their doubts gained credence when he came close to the cremation ground. They caught hold of him thrashed and axed him to death. They placed the body on the same pyre where Lakshmi's dead body was consigned to flames.

Learning about the ghastly deed from locals, police rushed to the cremation ground, but the men fled from there. The police conducted inquest on the half-burnt body of Anjaneyulu. Witchcraft and black magic is practiced and believed in several parts of Telangana.