Rajasthan couple flee after tribal woman branded ‘witch’, assaulted over deaths

A tribal woman in Rajasthan’s Sirohi alleged villagers branded her a “witch”, assaulted her and forced her and her husband to flee after two deaths.

A 40-year-old tribal woman was allegedly called a “witch”, assaulted and humiliated by a group of villagers in a tribal-dominated village, around 30 km from Rajasthan’s Sirohi district headquarters, police said.

The woman alleged that the villagers beat her, cut her hair, tore her clothes and forced her and her husband to leave the village. The couple approached the Sirohi superintendent of police (SP) on Tuesday seeking protection, alleging threats and harassment.

Sirohi’s superintendent of police (SP) Puspendra Singh Rathore said that a complaint was received, following which an investigation was initiated.

The woman in her complaint said that after two deaths occurred in the village in recent days, some villagers allegedly blamed her for the deaths and branded her a “witch”.

She alleged that the accused assaulted her and forced the couple to flee the village to save their lives and would be only allowed to return only after paying rupees 10 lakh for each death as mautana, a traditional penalty or compensation demanded in some tribal communities.

The woman further accused the villagers of conspiring to take over her agricultural land. She alleged that after the couple was forced out, the accused began allegedly ploughing and occupying her land illegally.

The woman has urged the police to register a case against those responsible, restore possession of her agricultural land and provide security to her and her husband.

The SP said that the matter is under investigation and appropriate action would be taken.