BHUBANESWAR (India), Sept 1: Four people in eastern India were beheaded after being accused of witchcraft, police said on Saturday.

Four people have been arrested after three decapitated bodies were pulled from a river on Wednesday.

“The four arrested people have confessed to killing four people, including three women,” said district police official P.K. Das, adding that divers were searching the river for the body of the fourth victim.

“So far we have recovered the headless and decomposed bodies of two females and a male. The body of the fourth female victim is yet to be traced. Initial clues suggest the murders could be linked to sorcery.” Police have linked the beheadings to a local village leader, saying they believe council member Siba Singh allegedly ordered the killings in revenge for his teenage son’s death from a snakebite two weeks ago.

Villagers told the police that Singh, whose whereabouts are unknown, believed the four murder victims were sorcerers who had plotted the killing of his son, Das said.—AFP