Observing the fact that Human Trafficking and witchcraft were sensitive issues for the tribals of Jharkhand, the Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday directed the State Government to make an effective awareness programme in this regard taking assistance from Jharkhand State legal Services Authority (JHAlSA), which has already been undertaking such programmes.

The court was hearing a case registered after taking suo motto cognisance of the increasing incidents of witchcraft hunting in the State.

The court directed the Principal Secretary of Social Welfare Department to meet the Member Secretary of JHAlSA to make an effective awareness programme and start the campaign from the worst hit districts in the State.

A division bench of Chief Justice Virender Singh and Justice S Chandrasekhar also directed the State to make a 40-45 minute documentary film with film director Prakash Jha for the awareness campaign, including the works done by JHAlSA in this regard.

“Human Trafficking and witchcraft are sensitive issues for the State and are directly related to the tribal people,” said the Chief Justice. “Also, include the awareness campaign in the film being carried out by JHAlSA in various parts of the State,” he added.

The court asked the State Government to give an account of the areas where such incidents take place prominently against which the State replied that Gumla and Khunti were the worst-hit districts with the menace. The Government also said that as many as 3,854 cases related to witchcraft hunting have been registered so far across the State till 2015.

The court directive has come after one Bhukhli Devi (65), who was brutally thrashed to death in front of her granddaughter on Saturday last, immediately after a local kangaroo court ordered her elimination at Itehe village under Budmu Police Station in Ranchi. Acting swiftly over the incident District legal Services Authority (DlSA) Secretary had handed over a cheque of Rs25,000 to the deceased’s son Govind Oraon as an interim compensation for immediate relief to the family.

Explaining the incident, Oraon said that one person after consuming excessive liquor got senseless following which his family members went to an Ojha to know the reasons behind it. The quack told them that an elderly woman with a son was responsible for the black magic that killed the ailing villagers.

The villagers without thinking about the consequences, zeroed in to his mother after holding a meeting, immediately denouncing her, stormed her with sticks and then killed her before Oraon’s daughter. Fraternal enmity among the family was reportedly the reasons behind the killing.

The case will be heard next on July 27.