BHUBANESWAR: A 65-year-old priest in tribal-dominated Malkangiri district was thrashed to death on Tuesday by his neighbours alleging that he practised witchcraft, police said.
Officials said over 60 people of Kangrukonda village in Kalimela block of Malkangiri district had gathered for the funeral rites of a villager on Tuesday when some of them started discussing the activities of the tribal priest, Padia Madkami.
“The villagers were discussing the frequent deaths in the area when someone pointed accusing fingers at Madkami alleging that he might be practising witchcraft. Soon, five of the villagers took out sticks and started beating Madkami holding him responsible for the deaths,” said inspector Raghunath Majhi of Kalimela police station. Madkami’s son, Bira, was also beaten up when he tried to save his father.
Police said they have detained Mukund Padiami, Fida Madkami, Kana Madkami, Umrmi Madkami and Ganga Madkami.
Witch-hunts are still highly prevalent in 12 of Odisha’s 30 districts, especially Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Ganjam, according to a report, Witch Hunting in Odisha, jointly released in December by the Odisha State Commission for Women and Action Aid, an international non-governmental organisation.
Three days ago, a 35-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman of Ganjam district were injured after being beaten up by villagers who accused them of practising witchcraft. They sustained injuries on their head and face and some of their teeth were uprooted in the beating after locals blamed them for the deaths of two children of a family.
{{/usCountry}}Three days ago, a 35-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman of Ganjam district were injured after being beaten up by villagers who accused them of practising witchcraft. They sustained injuries on their head and face and some of their teeth were uprooted in the beating after locals blamed them for the deaths of two children of a family.
{{/usCountry}}Though the state enacted the Odisha Prevention of Witch Hunting Act in 2013, its failure in curbing has forced the State Commission for Women to recommend establishment of special courts for providing speedy trial in all cases of witch-branding and witch-hunting cases. The women’s commission early this year wrote to the government to amend the Act so that branding of victims as witches be treated as heinous crime with stringent punishment. “Identifying, causing, stigmatizing, defaming or accusing any person by words or signs or any actions is witch branding and subsequent abetting physical or mental harm, injury or harassment which may involve mass frenzy, sexual or emotional violence should be punishable,” it said.