76 year old man lynched for being a 'wizard'

KOLKATA:  A 76-year-old man, accused of being a 'wizard' who hypnotised young girls into doing his household chores, was lynched by a mob on Wednesday in West Bengal, the police said.

The incident took place in Hanskhali town of Nadia district.

"Jibon Dolui, 76, was beaten to death on Wednesday afternoon by his neighbours. People accused him of being a 'wizard' who hypnotised young girls and made them do his household chores. No one has been arrested so far," an officer at Hanskhali police station said.

According to district sources, Dolui came to live in Hanskhali in 2007 after losing his wife, two daughters, son-in-laws and four grandchildren in a road accident.

"Dolui was an introvert and hardly interacted with his neighbours. But he was very friendly with the young girls, in whom he saw reflections of his daughter and grand daughters. The girls, too, volunteered to look after him, and they lovingly called him 'Buro-dadu' (old grandfather)," said sources not wishing to be identified.

Dolui's neighbours, however, believe that he was a black magic practitioner.

"Dolui hypnotised our daughters. He became their prime focus since their first meeting. Our girls even stole food from the kitchen to feed him. We earlier requested him to leave this place. But he didn't listen," said Sunil Jana, a neighbour.

About 15 neighbours dragged Dolui out of his residence and beat him up with walking sticks and bricks. The old man received severe head, chest, back and abdominal injuries and died on the spot, the police said.