(updated) The District Police Office (DPO), Rasuwa, has arrested three persons for allegedly murdering a man for practicing witchcraft. The victim -- Talu Sarki Thing, 55, of Yarsa VDC-9, was thrown in an open pit then attacked with stones and was buried alive. They had also set fire to his mouth. According to the DPO, the arrestees have been identified as Kancha Sherpa Thing, 27, and Lwang Buti Tamang, both from Yarsa VDC-9, and Tse Norbu Tamang, 50, of Bhorle VDC-2, in the district. Police made them public on Sunday amidst a press conference and said investigation is underway. "The villagers invited Talu into the house of Kancha Thing on April 16 and made him to drink. They then started beating him mercilessly and buried him alive," said DSP Abadhesh Bista of the DPO. The three accused were arrested on the basis of a case filed by the victim's wife, Yalmo Tamang. When Sangbo Tamang, 27, a local, passed away on March 18 while undergoing treatment at a hospital, the locals had blamed Talu and his witchcraft for the death. The locals had then chased away Talu and his family from the village after smearing black, garlanding him with shoes and forcing him to eat dog's feces. Talu and his family escaped to Kerung village and lived in a shed after being evicted from their village, according to locals. After the villagers found him again, Talu's nephew Kancha Sherpa Thing, had invited him back to the village stating that it was safe to return. Talu accepted the invitation only to meet his death. According to police, the plan to murder Talu had been made even before his arrival. They had already dug the pit. Although the incident happened a few weeks ago, police said they were informed about it much later and managed to catch the suspects through special investigation. "This case is the most gruesome of its kind in the district," said DSP Bista, adding that the victim's body has been sent to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in the capital for post mortem.