An elderly Dalit woman was burned to death by her co-villagers on the charge that she was practising witchcraft. Ramavati Devi, aged about 78, was first assault black and blue by about half a dozen villagers at Kamp village under Mohanpur police station in Purnia district on Tuesday after the death of a six-year old child in her neighbourhood.
A police official informed, quoting the eye witnesses, that the old woman was first dragged out of her mud house and asked to bring back life of the dead child. Refusing to listen to her ignorance the family of the child started beating her with sticks and pulled hr hairs. When her daughter-in-law rushed to help her, she was pushed away.
Calling her a dayan (witch) they alleged that she did witchcraft to take the life of the child who was already sick. They also forced her to consume human excreta while two men pinned her on the ground. The Police said that a number of villagers were present when this barbaric incident took place on Tuesday afternoon.
Suddenly one villager took out a bottle of kerosene oil and poured on her before liting the match stick. Nobody came to her help despite her cries and shrieking. The police said a case has been lodged against six accused and four other villagers on the basis of the statement of the victim’s daughter-in-law however, no arrest has been made so far.