JOIN USWoman lynched by in-laws
A 55-year-old tribal woman was beaten to death by her in-laws after they branded her a “witch” in Rajasthan’s Banswara district, police said on Saturday.
The incident took place on Friday night at Moti Timbi village in the district, some 500 km from here.
“Veeta Devi was sleeping in the house when her brother-in-law and his family members barged inside and dragged her out,” a police officer said.
The relatives started branding her a witch and claimed that she was casting evil spirit on other family members and villagers.
“They beat her up with sticks and iron rods and she died on the spot. When her husband came to her rescue, they held him captive and then fled,” said the officer.
The woman’s husband has registered an FIR against three men.
“The suspects are on the run. Raids are being carried out at various places,” added the officer.
Cases of branding women as witch and torturing them are rampant in Rajasthan, especially in tribal rural areas.
The Rajasthan Women (Prevention and Protection from Atrocities) Bill, 2011, was prepared by the state’s women and child welfare department keeping in view the increasing cases of women being branded witches in the state.
As per the Bill, a crime would be considered to have been committed when any person or community intentionally or inadvertently abets, conspires, aids and instigates the identification of a woman as a witch, leading to her mental and physical torture and humiliation.
The Bill has proposed a maximum of seven years’ imprisonment and fine for those who grab the land of such women after forcing them to leave their house.