Four Arrested After Jharkhand Woman, Child Burnt On Witchcraft Allegations
Woman and baby burned alive in West Singhbhum after being accused of witchcraft; police arrested four.
A woman and her one-year-old child were allegedly killed by a mob in Jharkhand after she was branded a “witch,” police said, in a case that has once again drawn attention to the persistence of superstition-driven violence in parts of rural India.
According to preliminary information shared by law enforcement authorities, the woman was accused by local residents of practising witchcraft and being responsible for illnesses and misfortunes in the village. A group of villagers reportedly attacked her and her infant, leading to their deaths. Police officials said they received information about the incident shortly after it occurred and rushed to the spot.
An investigation has been launched, and several suspects have been identified in connection with the killings. Officers said efforts are underway to apprehend those involved, adding that strict action would be taken under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and state laws that specifically criminalise witch-hunting and related violence. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.
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Jharkhand has witnessed multiple instances of witch-branding over the years, despite the enactment of the Prevention of Witch (Daain) Practices Act, 2001, which aims to curb such practices. Activists have long argued that a combination of superstition, lack of education, property disputes, and entrenched social prejudices often underlie such attacks, disproportionately targeting women from vulnerable communities.
Authorities have appealed for calm and urged residents not to give in to rumours or superstitions. Police officials emphasised the need for community awareness and stronger grassroots intervention to prevent similar incidents, reiterating that vigilante violence and witch-branding are criminal offences punishable by law.
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