Tribal women paraded naked in Odisha for 'witchcraft'

Mob justice

The local police in Odisha’s tribal-dominated Sundergarh district on Tuesday arrested three people in connection with a bizarre incident in which three women and one elderly man were reportedly paraded naked by villagers branding them “black magicians” indulging in “witchcraft.”

 The incident took place on Monday in Amapada village which comes under the Palsara police station limits. The district police launched a detailed investigation into the incident and are likely to make a few more arrests in connection with the case. The Sundergarh district administration has also launched an investigation into the sensitive case separately.

“A case has been registered in the Palsara police station and we have already arrested three prime accused in the case. A detailed investigation is on and the police patrolling has been intensified in the area for maintenance of law and order,” Sundergarh district Superintendent of Police(SP) Sanjib Arora said.

The four victims, all tribals, were suspected by their co-villagers of meeting at night and practices witchcraft to eliminate other villagers. A meeting was held in the village on Monday where the four were summoned and asked to admit their guilt and apologise.

When they refused to do so, the villagers reportedly blackened their faces and stripped them. Then they allegedly made the four parade naked in the village and also nearby villages. Though hundreds of people were witnessing the drama nobody came forward to stop it fearing the wrath of the perpetrators.