In a brutal act, eyes of an elderly couple, accused of “practising witchcraft”, were gouged out by their own relations at Saura, nearly 65 km from here, the police said on Saturday.
The assailants, allegedly in-laws of the couple’s daughter, on Friday attacked Manshar Banjare (56) and his wife Shyam Kunwar (48), accusing them of casting an evil spell on their own daughter, who was not keeping well for the past few months.
Preliminary inquiry by the police said the couple had married off their daughter to one Ram Nath’s son in the same village. Ram Nath was worried over ill health of his daughter-in-law and consulted a tribal priest (called Baiga in local parlance) for her recovery.
The quack had allegedly pointed finger at Mansharam Banjare and his wife Shyam Kunwar (48) suggesting that the couple had cast an evil spell on their own daughter, leading to her sickness.
He also allegedly suggested removing the couple’s eyes to stop them from casting spell on their daughter.
Following this, Ram Nath and his family members allegedly barged in the couple’ s house and gouged their eyes with the help of scissors. They also allegedly chopped of the woman’s tongue before fleeing the spot.
The couple’s second daughter reported the matter to the local sarpanch, seeking his help to admit them in the hospital. Later, an FIR was filed in Kasdol police station in connection with the incident.
“We have arrested ten people in connection with the incident. The main accused, Ram Nath, was, however, absconding,” inspector-in-charge of Kasdol police station S.S. Baghel said.