OHRC awards ₹3 lakh to family of woman killed on suspicion of practicing witchcraft in Odisha

The rights panel observed that the Odisha Prevention of Witch-Hunting Act, 2013, is not stringent enough to deal with such violence

The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has recommended a compensation of ₹3 lakh to the family of a woman who was beaten to death by fellow villagers over allegations of practicing witchcraft.

Also Read: 33 villagers booked for killing of a woman over alleged witchcraft in Odisha

The victim, Jasoda Singh, wife of Fagu Singh of Rotakhandi village in Sundargarh district was murdered by fellow villagers on suspicion of her to be practicing witchcraft on March 2, 2018. Her husband and son were also brutally assaulted.

Human rights activists Biswapriya Kanungo and Bijay Kumar Panda had moved OHRC seeking compensation for the family. The two submitted that the State machinery had failed to protect life and dignity of Jasoda Singh.

As per the provision under Section 18 (c) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the OHRC recommended ₹3 lakh for next of kin of the deceased.

“The interim recommendation of payment of compensation should be paid to the next of kin of Jasoda Singh within a period of two months,” ordered the rights panel, directing the District Magistrate of Sundargarh to submit the compliance report of payment.

The OHRC, however, observed that it is a peculiar circumstance where there is no stringent law to deal with incidents of witchcraft related violence. “The Odisha Prevention of Witch-Hunting Act, 2013, is not sufficient to deal with such incident of killing and violence leading to death on suspicion of practicing witchcraft,” the Commission emphasised.

As per incidences of violence related to witchcraft compiled by rationalists, over 600 people were killed in Odisha in the name of witchcraft during past one decade. There were reports people especially women being driven away from their ancestral land.

Published - November 21, 2024 10:17 pm IST