icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
18 Mar, 2019 15:34

Villagers kill woman, injure 4 others in WITCH HUNT lynching in India

Villagers kill woman, injure 4 others in WITCH HUNT lynching in India

After several people fell ill in West Bengal, locals found no better explanation than witchcraft, leading to a mob lynching that killed one woman and left four others injured. Police had to call in backup to rescue the survivors.

An angry mob dragged five women before a kangaroo court in the village of Ishwarpur in West Midnapore district, where they were all accused of practicing black magic to cause the illnesses, the Hindustan Times reports

Also on rt.com Angry mob lynches five in India as rumors of child kidnapping go viral on WhatsApp

The gathering, convened by a self-proclaimed “witch doctor,” apparently spiraled into sickening mob punishment. While details are scant, 51-year-old Adarmani Hansda was killed and four other women severely injured.

Police were initially prevented from accessing the scene of the lynching as villagers blocked them from entering. A larger force was called to intervene. They found the victim’s body and four injured women, who were all brought to hospital in the nearby city of Ghatal, police superintendent Alok Rajoria said.

While the media has identified the “healer” and lynch-law instigator as Shyamali Mandi, no arrests were made immediately after the incident. According to Rajoria, “an investigation is on.

Also on rt.com Self-proclaimed Indian healer arrested over ‘kissing cure’

Witch hunts are not uncommon in rural areas of India where belief in witchcraft and the occult remains widespread. The gruesome practice usually comes in wake of an unexplained illness or tragedy. In 2015, villagers in a rural area of eastern Jharkhand state beat five women to death after accusing them of killing a young boy with black magic.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!

Podcasts
0:00
26:13
0:00
24:57