Witch hunts still common in parts of India, particularly among tribal communities
NEW DELHI, July 21 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A woman in rural eastern India was beaten to death after villagers accused her of practicing witchcraft, the Hindustan Times reported on Monday.
According to a statement by the victim's husband, the 45-year-old woman died after she was dragged from her home and physically assaulted by 14 men from her village in Bihar state.
Police in Bihar's East Champaran (Motihari) district said the victim was also forced to consume human faeces.
The report said there were eight cases of similar attacks on women in the district in June, and although 27 people have been accused, no arrests have been made. Police denied allegations of inaction.
"Police have been told to adopt zero tolerance against such incidents and take prompt action whenever reported to the police stations," Assistant Superintendent of Police P.K. Mandal was quoted as saying.
The practice of branding women as witches and assaulting or killing them is still common is some parts of India such as Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal - particularly among tribal communities, say activists.
In March, a 52-year-old woman in Chhattisgarh state was reportedly beaten to death by her brother-in-law and his family after she was accused of being a witch and putting a spell on a family member who had become ill.
(Editing by Alisa Tang: alisa.tang@thomsonreuters.com)
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