Berhampur, Mar 18 (PTI) At least three persons were killed and three others seriously injured in the clash between two groups over suspected witchcraft practice in Odisha's Ganjam district on Tuesday, police said.

The clash took place at Kharipalli village under. The clash broke out due to the suspected witchcraft in the village, police said.

Also Read | Gurugram Car Robbery: 2 Men Fradulently Rob Vehicle and Transfer Money by Impersonating As Loan Recovery Agent, Arrested.

The deceased were identified as Khadal Behera (70), his son Ratnakar Behera (35) and Ramesh Behera (40), they said.

The injured persons were first admitted to Dharakote hospital and later referred to MKCG Medical College and Hospital here. Their condition was stated to be serious, hospital sources said

Also Read | Sunita Williams Homecoming: '1.4 Billion Indians Praying for Safe Return of Indian-Origin NASA Astronaut and Colleague Butch Wilmore' Says ISRO Scientist Guru Prasad.

Senior police officers along with additional forces have rushed to the spot.

"Though the situation in the village was tense, but under control after the arrival of the police forces," said SP (Ganjam) Subhendu Kumar Patra. Forces along with police officers were camping in the village, the SP said.

Though the exact reason for the incident was not known immediately, previous enmity between the two groups in the village was suspected to be the cause of the clash, he said. "We are investigating the reason for the clash," the SP added.

Sources said a group of people first attacked Khadal Behera and his son Ratnakar with sharp weapons suspecting that they were practicing witchcraft. The duo died on the spot.

Some of the relatives of Khadal retaliated the attack in which four other persons of the rival group sustained injury. Of them Ramesh succumbed to his injuries at Dharaote hospital, sources said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)