Varanasi court orders FIR against 4 for assaulting pregnant woman, causing miscarriage

Varanasi: A court here on Monday directed police to register an FIR against four individuals for allegedly assaulting a pregnant woman leading to her miscarriage over the suspicion of witchcraft.

Special chief judicial magistrate Ashwani Kumar on Monday issued the order to the station house officer of Bhelupur police station after hearing a plea of the victim, Poonam Kumari, who lives in Ranipur, Bhelupur.

She filed the plea under Section 175(3) (power to order an investigation) of the BNSS Act through advocate Vikas Singh.

According to the complaint, the incident took place at around 10.30 pm on September 2, 2024, when the victim heard abuses being hurled and noise of vandalism outside her home.

When she stepped out, she saw the accused — Gautam Bind, his brothers Saroj Bind and Hari Bind, and Raja Bind — damaging her husband’s e-rickshaw.

When she protested, the accused allegedly hurled abuses at her and her mother-in-law, calling them "witches" and accusing them of practising witchcraft and casting spells on their family.

Gautam then climbed onto the roof and threw a brick at Poonam, hitting her stomach, it was alleged.

The attack left her unconscious, said the complaint, and she suffered a miscarriage of her two-month-old pregnancy owing to severe injuries.

When the neighbours reached the crime scene upon hearing the commotion, the accused fled after issuing threats.

Poonam was rushed to a hospital but it was alleged despite filing a complaint with the police, no action was taken, prompting her to approach the court.

Her lawyer said the court took a serious note of the matter and directed police to register an FIR against all the accused persons and initiate appropriate action against them.