Rourkela police arrested 24-year-old Anand Ekka on Sunday evening for allegedly murdering his aunt, Sarojini Ekka (52), in Jhirpani village, Sundargarh district. Anand reportedly believed that his aunt practiced witchcraft, which he suspected had caused his father’s prolonged illness.
The incident occurred on Friday when Anand allegedly slit Sarojini’s throat at her home before fleeing. At the time, her college-going daughter was away, and her son had just returned from his Class X exam. The boy discovered his mother in a pool of blood and raised the alarm, prompting neighbors and Kutra police to rush to the scene. Sarojini was declared dead at the hospital, and her post-mortem was conducted on Saturday.
An FIR was lodged by Sarojini’s brother, and two special police teams from Kutra and Bargaon stations were formed to track the perpetrator. During interrogation, Anand confessed to the crime, and police have recovered the weapon used in the murder.
