The Home Ministry informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, 27 December, that as many as 183 women were killed in Jharkhand over the past four years in cases of lynching in the guise of witchcraft, The Times of India reported.
In a written response to a question from an MP, the Minister of State for Home, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, said that 42 women were killed in the state till November this year after being ‘identified’ as witches. Citing information provided by the Jharkhand police, the previous years’ death toll has been 44, 51, and 46 in 2016, 2015 and 2014 respectively.
"Cases have been registered in this regard in different districts of the state, and investigations of such cases are given priority," Ahir remarked.
Even according to the NCRB figure, Jharkhand topped the chart of witch-hunting murders in the country in 2016, Hindustan Times reported.
Odisha stands second with 24 witch-hunting murders. The overall figure for India was 134 in 2016, according to NCRB.
As informed by Jharkhand police, Ahir further added that the property was seized in case of absconding offenders while most other offenders faced an arrest. In most cases, chargesheets have been submitted against the offenders.
“We are happy with the declining trend of such incidents but we have to work hard to eliminate it,” MS Bhatia, principal secretary, Jharkand women and child welfare department told HT.
Social issues like witchcraft, early marriage, anaemia and others can be addressed under the provision of the Tejaswini scheme targeted for girls between the age group of 14 and 24 years.
(With inputs from Times of India, Hindustan Times)
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