541 killed in Orissa in 14 years over sorcery, despite special legislation

Despite a massive awareness campaign and the passing of special legislation in the state Assembly, Orissa is still struggling to check the growing number of killings of innocent people, mostly tribals, over allegations of practicing sorcery.

As many as 541 people were killed in the past 14 years in the state for allegedly practicing black magic. In 2016 alone, the state has recorded the killing of over 30 people. In most of the cases, the victims were brutally hacked to death or burnt alive by fellow villagers.

Going by the crime branch’s records, over 180 people were murdered on suspicion of practising sorcery in the state between 2010 and 2014. Since 2015, around 30 deaths have been reported from various parts of the state.

Most of the killings were reported from the tribal dominated Mayurbhanj, Sundergarh, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Angul and Malkangiri districts. The victims include women and children also.

Women were particularly victimised and subjected to abject humiliation, social ostracisation and torture over claims that they practiced black magic. In certain instances, women were forced to eat human excreta, tonsured and had their teeth knocked out.

Although the spree of murders and attacks prompted the state government to formulate Orissa Prevention of Witch Hunting Act in 2013, the legislation is yet to prove a deterrent.

The state government has not yet undertaken sensitisation and awareness drives at the grassroots level against the superstition in a massive way.

The crime branch has conducted sensitisation and training programmes at certain places.

According to Dillip Subudhi, a social worker, the state government needs to make the people at the grassroots and local police personnel aware of the significance of the law.

“Since police personnel, mostly in remote areas, are not adequately apprised about the provisions of the new law, they do not invoke appropriate sections while booking persons involved in sorcery-related crimes. The Act provides for punishment up to three years with a fine for witch hunting, witchcraft and witch doctoring. A second offence invites up to five years of imprisonment. This needs to be told to the people who are indulging in such practices,” said Mr Subudhi.

Srirama Dash, a rationalist, said that though considered a social evil, not many take witch-hunting seriously as a cognisable offence punishable by law.

Saying that the police was not the only agency which can thwart such incidents, Mr Das suggested that panchayati raj institutions and civil society could a play a greater role, given their access in rural tribal pockets where superstition holds its sway.