| Nhuchche |
Posted
on 27-May-02 09:44 AM
From Kathmandu Post
By Rabindra Upreti
MAHOTTARI, May 26
Superstition, dominant in most part of the country, raises its bloodthirsty head time and again. A barbaric event that took place in a village of Mahottari district speaks of the extent of cruelty that people and society dragged by superstition can go.
The neighbours of 65-year old Sudhama Devi of Parsa Dewad VDC beat her to unconsciousness labeling her a witch on Saturday. They also manhandled her daughter-in-law who tried to protect Sudhama.
The members of a family of the same village came to Sudhama’s house accompanied by other neighbour and beat her charging of witch practise to kill the 10-day old infant son of Ram Babu Baidya.
Those involved in the inhuman beating of Sudhama and her daughter-in-law are Ram Babu Baidya, Shyam Baidya, Kismatiya Devi and Fulo Devi of a family and Inush Ansari, their nieghbour.
"The group beat us mercilessly on the day and brought shamans to prove that my mother-in-law is a witch," Ajhur Devi, the daughter-in-law said. "They tortured us mentally for whole night."
Ram Babu’s infant had died at a hospital in Kathmandu while undergoing treatment, according to the villagers. After the incident, the victims approached Vesh Kadim Manjar, the Chairman of the VDC for justice but Manjar didn’t help.
As if all those were not enough, the victims also received harsh threatening. They were threatened of feeding human excreta and exile from the village with their heads shaved if they report the incident to police. "Because of that, we kept silence for a day," Sudhama said wiping her tears.
Later Children, Women and Elder Welfare Centre, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) rescued the victims and handed them to Rural Community Development Service Council (RCDSC), another NGO run by Marani Devi today.
Marani Devi was another victim who went through even more harsh experience of inhuman torture on the charge of practising witchcraft.
The victims are undergoing treatment in the emergency ward of district hospital in Jaleshwor. Sudhama has serious injuries in head, arm and other parts of body and can hardly speak.
According to District Police Office, Ram Babu Baidya and Shayam Baidya have been arrested. Police will also arrest other involved in the incident, said Narayan Sharma Acharya, Superintendent of Police (SP). Mohan Prasad Acharya, the Chief District Officer (CDO) assured justice to the victims.
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