Palamu police are walking on a tight rope. It has launched a drive against witchcraft here and the method chosen for it is this time harsh and unheard of said sources. It has got both some appreciation and some questioning.
Appreciation for touching the raw chord of superstition and questioning over drawing of section 107 under CrPC against those who earn a living by selling superstition said sources.
People practicing witchcraft have been identified by the police. Around 90 such people have been identified in the whole of Palamu. This figure includes men and women both. Further these 90 persons come from both the communities the Hindus and the Muslims.
SP Palamu Indrajeet Mahatha confirming this identification of 90 by police in Palamu said this will instill a sense of fear and responsibility among these people to avoid any such activity which threatens public health or extracts public money.
SP agreed that this drive is both delicate and challenging but sounding hopeful he said with people’s support the practice of superstition can be contained.
There is a twist to this drive. Police are sending down requisition to three SDOs in Palamu to invoke section 107 of CrPC against these 90 people as part of getting them ‘bonded’ under law.
Mahatha said invoking section 107 CrPC is no bringing down hell on earth but a way to contain these people to refrain from such activity in which a false claim/illusion is made of ghost being driven out of body.
Reminded that section 107 CrPC is no any permanent solution to curb this as the total life span of 1O7 section is just for 180 days Mahatha said this span will make these people sensible and let us hope these people may discard this trade in dark faith.
Sources said any tirade against ‘Ojha guni ‘ is fraught with mass sentiments as even in highly educated families people believe in bad spell.
Sadar SDO Nancy Sahay when asked by this reporter as to how far she would go to draw section 107 CrPC against identified people living in her territory Nancy Sahay said ‘ Police often rush to our office with requisition to draw section 107. All such requisitions are scrutinized. I ask my sadar circle officer to do the rest. Here too merit of the requisition will be judged before invoking section 107 CrPC’. She declined to make any further elaboration on this issue or method of curbing practice of superstition.