Woman clubbed to death alleging practicing Black Magic

     Bemetara, October 27, 2014: In a bizarre incident, an aged woman was beaten to death by her close relatives, accusing her of practicing black magic in Bemetara district of Chhattisgarh, a senior police officer said today.

     “Chili power were also put on her eyes, ears and private parts and thrashed her severely, because of which she died,” Bemetara District Superintendent of Police Narendra Khare said.

       Giving details of the incident the senior police officer said, Dukalhin Bai, a 55 year old widow was accused by her close relatives of practicing witch craft and assaulted her yesterday.

     “She was assaulted by the sister, brother, his wife and other close relatives of her deceased husband accusing her of practicing witch craft in Banjarpur village under Bemetara district,” Khare said.

      “Rupendra, the young son of Nakul Patel, the real brother of her husband was not keeping well for about six months.

     “The females and other male members of the family accused the widow of practicing witch craft and applying that black magic on the young boy because of which even doctors were not being able to make him fit,” the SP said.

     Yesterday afternoon the male and female members of the family surrounded her and asked her to undo the black magic and fit the boy and when she said she cannot do that because she does not practices black magic, the widow was attacked with sticks, punches and kicks, he said.

      “She was not only assaulted severely, but also chili powers were put on her eyes, ears and private parts, in the presence of her 28 year old son Ashok,” Khare said.

      After the close family members left her in a serious condition, she was rushed to the nearby Parpodi Government hospital, where she was declared brought dead, the police officer said.

     “The exact cause of death, and where all chili powers were put in will only be known after the autopsy reports,” the SP said.

     An autopsy would be conducted today and on the complaint of her son Ashok a case has been registered against the male and female members of the family, he said.

     “A special act is in force in Chhattisgarh against atrocities in the name of witch craft and sections of that Act and also murder case has been registered for the incident,” the police officer said.

      “Five female, including her husband’s sister, and seven males, including her husband’s brother, have been arrested and the matter is under investigation,” Khare said.

     Since the son of the widow is witnessed to the entire incident on his complaint the police has registered a case against the family members, he said.

      Police said the deceased was belonging to Marar-Patel community, who grow vegetables and are engaged in other small agriculture works.

     Looking into the demographic pattern and illiteracy, vested interest people often accused widow and weak women of practicing witch craft or black magic to oust them from the villages to capture their landed property.

      Even the special act has failed to combat such atrocities against women in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa among other under developed states of India.