A police officer is among eight people arrested in Chhattisgarh, India, for allegedly branding a 53-year-old woman as a witch. The incident occurred in the Jashpur district, where the accused allegedly thrashed, publicly humiliated, and attempted to drag the woman towards a cremation ground on November 8.
The arrested individuals, including Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Phoolchand Bhagat, reportedly acted on the advice of a local witch doctor who accused the victim of using black magic, which they believed caused the death of the police officer's wife. According to the First Information Report (FIR), the group, led by Gayatri Bhagat, forcibly entered the woman's home, verbally abused her, and threatened her life. When she resisted opening the door, the accused broke it down and dragged her outside. They proceeded to beat her, pull her hair, and attempt to drag her to the cremation ground, proclaiming her responsibility for the death.
The woman's screams alerted her son and daughter, who intervened and rescued her from the attackers. She subsequently filed a complaint at the Duldula police station, which led to the arrest of all eight accused. Superintendent of Police (SP) Shashi Mohan Singh supervised the registration of a case under the Chhattisgarh Witchcraft Prevention Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). All eight individuals have been remanded to judicial custody. Authorities have launched a manhunt for the witch doctor and accomplices who are currently at large.
This incident highlights the continued presence of witch-hunting and related violence in certain regions of India. Odisha is also taking steps to amend the Odisha Prevention of Witch-hunting (OPW) Act, 2013, to impose stricter penalties and address rising sorcery-related crimes. Proposed amendments include harsher punishments, with potential life imprisonment for abetment of suicide through witch-branding, and significant fines and imprisonment for public humiliation and torture. The amendments also suggest establishing special courts, rehabilitation schemes, and district-level task forces to prevent witch-hunting.
In the last five years, Odisha has recorded 408 cases and 388 arrests related to witch-hunting incidents. Reports indicate that 606 people have been killed in sorcery-related incidents in the past 11 years, with several districts particularly affected. The proposed amendments aim to strengthen the legal framework, protect victims, and raise awareness about the issue.
