Desk Correspondent , Bhubaneswar - Police arrested 25 villagers on Tuesday for allegedly dragging a man out of his home, lynching him over suspicions of practicing black magic, and burning his body to destroy evidence in Talamunduli village, Odisha. The violent incident occurred on May 10, but the breakthrough came following a formal complaint lodged by the victim's father on Monday. Cuttack (Rural) Superintendent of Police Vinit Agrawal confirmed the arrests on Wednesday, noting that three specialized investigative teams have been formed and one of the accused has already confessed to the crime during interrogation.

The victim, identified as Tikima Behera, had been living with his brother and sister-in-law since his wife left him seven years ago. According to the complaint filed by his father, Sweta Behera, an angry mob targeted Tikima, forcibly removing him from his residence before beating him to death. In an attempt to cover up the lynching, the perpetrators subsequently set the body on fire. Local authorities have since recovered bones and a partially burnt body from the scene, which will undergo forensic examination to aid the ongoing prosecution.

The mass arrest underscores deep-seated concerns regarding vigilante violence fueled by superstition in rural pockets of the region. Police officials stated that the investigation remains active as they work to identify any remaining suspects involved in the mob violence. The 25 arrested men face multiple severe charges, including murder and the destruction of evidence, and have been remanded to judicial custody while forensic teams process the recovered remains.