A tribal woman at Ishwarpur village in West Midnapore district’s Ghatal was lynched on Sunday after a kangaroo court declared her and four other women witches.
The deceased, 51-year-old Adarmani Hansda, was accused of practising black magic that was allegedly making people in the village fall ill. Incidentally, the court was convened by a woman – Shyamali Mandi, a self-proclaimed “witch doctor”.
“After hearing about the incident, a police team went to the village and rescued the four injured women. They are admitted in Ghatal hospital. We have recovered the body of the tribal woman. An investigation is on,” said Alok Rajoria, superintendent of police, West Midnapore.
Villagers told police that the five women were forcibly taken to the kangaroo court on Sunday afternoon. When police reached the village, they were stopped and later a huge force had to be sent.
Till evening, no arrest was made. In November 2018, Padki Majhi, 52, was beaten to death in Purulia district’s Kashipur on a similar suspicion.