Woman Lynched in Bihar Over Alleged Witchcraft Murder

Sasaram- In Sasaram district of Bihar, a woman suspected of being involved in the murder of a minor was brutally beaten and killed by the villagers outside her home, accusing her of practicing witchcraft.

The incident took place in Akashi village under Agrer police station area. The cops, upon reaching the scene, took possession of both bodies and sent them for post-mortem, later handed over to the deceased's relatives. The police have appealed to stay away from any rumors in this case, and a warning has been issued against those spreading false information.

SP Vinit Kumar informed The Mooknayak that in the Agrer Thana area of Sasaram sub-division, a child went missing on the evening of Sunday, January 14. While playing outside his house, Shivam suddenly disappeared, prompting family members to initiate a search. Around 9:30 PM, Shivam's lifeless body was discovered inside a jute bag in a field.

As the bag was found near the house of Dashrath Singh, the villagers assumed that he or his family members were involved in the murder.

The villagers who used to accuse Dashrath Singh’s wife Chinta Devi (50), of being a witch, blamed her for the child’s murder. The family members of Jaggu Singh, who is the father of the child, and some villagers got together and thrashed Chinta Devi.

The enraged mob claimed to have witnessed Chinta Devi, throwing the child's body into the field. Subsequently, villagers forcibly dragged the woman out of her home, subjected her to severe beating, and lynched her. The situation escalated further as the angry mob set Chinta Devi's house on fire. The police deployed additional forces to the village, and both bodies were sent for post-mortem.

After the incident, several individuals from both sides are reported to be on the run. A thorough investigation is being conducted into the entire case. The police have urged the public to refrain from speculating or spreading unverified information.

It is worth noting that similar incidents have been reported in the past. In October 2023, in Bihar's Ara district, a man held his wife responsible for the deaths of their son and daughter-in-law, accusing her of practicing witchcraft. He murdered her, and the subsequent investigation revealed the case to be baseless.

In December 2023, in Begusarai district of Bihar, a woman faced brutal physical assault and harassment from neighbours after being falsely accused of practicing witchcraft. The incident occurred in the Ayodhya Vari Mohalla of the Lakhothi area. The victim, identified as Sarita Devi, was accused by the family of W. Pandit, a neighbour, after their daughter died due to an illness. The false accusations led to a violent confrontation, resulting in Sarita Devi's death.

Similar incidents have been reported in Jharkhand as well. In the Mirzachowki Thana area of Sahibganj district, a man murdered his sister-in-law, suspecting her of practicing witchcraft. The accused, identified as Datebabu Hansasda, was apprehended by the police and admitted to the crime during questioning. The motive behind the murder was the prolonged illness and subsequent death of Datebabu's father, for which he held his sister-in-law responsible.

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