India: Woman Killed By Relatives After Being Deemed A Witch

In many areas of India, witch hunting is not just a dark practice from the past, but an ongoing problem. Villagers in rural areas frequently target women in their societies and accuse them of witchcraft, often resulting from competition for land.

“In Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha and in Purulia in West Bengal, the struggle for tribal land is intense within the community. These are mineral-rich lands so mining companies are encroaching these places, leading to dearth of land. Adivasi [tribal] women who inherit land from their fathers or husbands are often targeted. Envious family members start the accusations against the women to discredit them, leading to loss of inheritance.”

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