Man practising 'sorcery' put on pyre of woman

A 25-year-old man suspected of practising black magic was allegedly put on the pyre of a woman by her kin as they believed he was responsible for her death, police said here on Thursday.

The incident happened in Adraspally village, near here on Wednesday.

After this news spread in the village, the half-burnt body of the man was retrieved and it was being investigated whether he was burned alive or killed before his body was put on the pyre, the police said.

Meanwhile, a villager lodged a police complaint that his brother had gone missing and that he had identified the footwear of the missing man near the scene of the crime, they said.

A detailed analysis of the bones of the burnt body of the man would confirm whether they were those of the villager's brother, the police said.

The role of the dead woman's relatives was suspected and they were interrogated. Following the inquiry, it was revealed that the man was put on the pyre, as they apprehended he was the one who caused her death, they said.

With regard to the death, deputy commissioner of police P V Padmaja told reporters that the woman had been suffering from ill-health for the past five years and had been bed-ridden for the last six months before she died on Tuesday.

Further investigations are on, police said.