LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Ranchi, July 30: In Jharkhand, the process of killing women accused of witchcraft is not taking the name of stopping. From the year 2015 to May 31, 2023, 271 women across the state have been murdered on the allegation of witchcraft.
In most of the cases, the relatives have taken the lives of their near and dear ones by getting trapped in the affair of superstition. In some cases, women have been murdered on the allegation of witchcraft in order to grab land. It is not that the administration does not take action in such cases. The administration arrests the accused and sends them to jail, and also runs an awareness campaign among the people. People are advised to stay away from superstition.
But despite all the efforts of the government in the rural areas of the state, the cases of murder of women accused of witchcraft are not decreasing. Only the people or relatives of the village are involved in the Daayan Bisahi massacre. Police even arrest 99% in witch murder cases, but such murder cases are not taking the name of decreasing.
271 murders in eight years:
Year 2015: 46
Year 2016: 39
Year 2017: 42
Year 2018: 25
Year 2019: 27
Year 2020: 28
Year 2021: 22
Year 2022: 32
By 31st May in the year 2023: 10
Most of the people living in the rural areas of Jharkhand go to quacks or Ojha first in case of an outbreak of any disease. When nothing can be done by quack doctors and exorcists, then they call a woman from the neighbourhood responsible for this and make her a witch.
At present, the health facilities in the villages are not good and in such a situation doctors and exorcists are the only support of the people. Harassment of a woman who has been declared a witch by Ojha starts and many times people even kill her. People get trapped in the affair of superstition and kill their loved ones.
When a family member falls sick repeatedly, experiences fever, stomach pain, loss of appetite, crying at night, insomnia, reduced or excessive water flow, or animals become ill, they believe it is due to the evil eye or someone performing black magic. Subsequently, this leads to a series of harassment against women, sometimes even culminating in murder.
