Odisha woman beaten to death, 33 arrested

BHUBANESWAR: A 55-year-old woman in Odisha’s Ganjam district was allegedly beaten to death by villagers after she approached police over an attack on her husband on suspicion of practicing witchcraft, police officials said on Thursday.

Thirty-three people, including 20 women, have been arrested on murder charges, they said.

Jhunu Nahak of Madhipalli village, under Kabisuryanagar police station area of Ganjam district, was allegedly thrashed to death by villagers on Wednesday night.

The incident took place nine hours after the woman approached police with a complaint that her husband, Judhisthir Nahak, was thrashed over suspicion of practising witchcraft, the officials said.

“Judhisthir was assaulted by villagers over suspicions that they practiced witchcraft. He was admitted to the local hospital. When his two sons returned home from the hospital, they found their mother dead,” Ganjam superintendent of police (SP) Vivek Saravana said.

“The woman’s body had several assault marks, suggesting she was beaten to death by the villagers who were angry at her for approaching the cops,” he added.

A total of 33 people, including 20 women, have been arrested, the SP said. “All of them have been booked under section 302 (murder) of Indian Penal Code. This was purely a mob attack,” he said.

Instances of murders and assaults over suspicions of practisising witchcraft are often reported in the state, despite several measures taken by the government to curb such cases.

More than 60 FIRs have been registered under the Odisha Prevention of Witch Hunting Act 2013 this year, officials said, adding maximum offences were reported in Mayurbhanj district.

THE WOMAN WAS KILLED AFTER SHE WENT TO THE COPS OVER AN ATTACK ON HER HUSBAND ON SUSPICION OF WITCHCRAFT