Jharkhand: Police conduct duck's autopsy to solve 'witchcraft' murder case
In a strange development, Jharkhand's Ranchi district police got an autopsy of a duck done in connection to a murder case. On Monday night, police had arrested 30-year-old Falindra Lohra, who murdered his mother-in-law, Sakuri Devi (45), to gain mastery of witchcraft, at Rangmati village under Silli police station limits, around 60 kms from Ranchi. The dead duck was found near Devi's body.
Falindra killed mother-in-law and drank her blood
The incident happened on Monday, when Falindra killed Devi with a sharp weapon and then drank her blood to gain mastery in witchcraft. Falindra had come to stay at his wife's house last week. His father-in-law, Parna Lohra found Devi's dead body at around 4 pm. Upon seeing his father-in-law, Falindra fled to a relatives' house and was arrested from there later.
Police found dead duck, injured calf near Devi's body
When police visited the site, they found a duck with a severed head and a buffalo calf with injuries on its neck near Devi's body. In his confession, Falindra said that he wanted to drink both human and animal blood to gain expertise, so he carried out the killings. The duck was eventually sent for autopsy. Cops said it'll help them understand the sequence.
Duck was smeared with vermilion, ash, other ritual worship items
Also they didn't want to leave any loopholes in collection of evidence, cops said, adding considering the peculiar circumstances in the case, the post-mortem was required. Dr. Jeneviva Lakra from the government veterinary center at Rahe block, who conducted the autopsy, shared that the duck's head was severed with a sharp weapon. The duck was also smeared with vermilion, ash, and other ritual items.
Senior cop says though unusual, but the move is right
Meanwhile, Silli police station-in-charge, Chiranjit Prasad, claimed it was one-of-a-kind case, where autopsy of an animal was conducted. Ranjeet Kumar Prasad, IG (Organized Crime), said in his over 20-year long career as a police officer, he has never heard of a case where an animal autopsy was conducted. However, the move was correct as it's for a case related to sorcery, Prasad added.
Post-mortem usually done when pet suspected to be killed: Doctor
Meanwhile, Ranchi veterinary officer, Dr. Suman Sahay, said such case was unheard of. "Post-mortem of animals is generally conducted in vetro-legal and medico-legal cases (where FIR is registered in connection with the animal's death). In some cases of suspicious death of animals, where owners feel that the pet or cattle is poisoned, or killed by other means, autopsy is conducted," he added.
