Lohardaga, Oct 9 : In a shocking incident linked to superstition, three members of a family were brutally murdered on suspicion of practising witchcraft in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district, officials said.

The killings took place late Wednesday night in Kekrang Bartoli village, under the jurisdiction of the Peshrar police station. The deceased have been identified as Laxman Nagesia (47), his wife Bifani Nagesia (45), and their nine-year-old son Ramvilas Nagesia.

According to police, the attackers used sharp-edged weapons, including an axe and a spade, to slit the victims' throats while they were asleep. After committing the murders, the assailants allegedly locked the house from the outside and fled.

The incident came to light on Thursday morning when neighbours grew suspicious after the family did not open the door for a long time.

They informed the police, following which SDPO Vedant Shankar and Peshrar Station House Officer Virendra Kumar reached the spot with a police team. The bodies were recovered and sent for a post-mortem.

At the time of the incident, four members of the family were present in the house. The sole survivor, Sukhmania Nagesia, told police that the family had been facing harassment from some villagers who accused them of practising witchcraft.

'A village panchayat had been convened earlier on the same issue,' she said in her statement.

'On Wednesday night, my father-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law were asleep when several men broke in and attacked them with an axe. I was locked in my room from the outside and could not raise an alarm,' she added.

SDPO Shankar said the exact motive is yet to be confirmed, but superstition and witchcraft allegations appear to be the primary cause.

'All possible angles are being examined. Police teams have been deployed to identify and arrest the culprits. The case will be cracked soon,' he said.

Local sources said that rumours of witchcraft had been circulating in the village for months, and tensions between the family and some residents had been simmering.

The brutal murders have triggered panic and outrage in Kekrang Bartoli and nearby villages. Residents have demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible and stronger action against the spread of superstition-related violence.

/IANS