Woman stripped and beaten in Odisha over witchcraft claim, six named in case

What Happened

A woman was stripped and brutally assaulted by villagers in Banitia, Bhadrak district, after being accused of witchcraft. The attack happened on September 25 when her husband and son were away. Villagers broke into her house, beat her on the street, forced her back inside, and later dragged her out, stripped her and beat her again. They also looted items from her home. While being taken to hospital in an auto‑rickshaw with the local sarpanch’s help, other villagers stopped the vehicle, pulled her out and assaulted her a second time. Police rescued her and admitted her to Bhadrak District Headquarters Hospital.

Reaction

The victim filed a complaint on Wednesday. Bhadrak Rural police station inspector‑in‑charge Subrat Das said six people, including two women, have been named in the case but none have been arrested yet; the police are searching for the accused.

Background

Three days earlier, a 41‑year‑old man from Gajapati district was beaten to death and his body burnt after villagers suspected him of witchcraft. The incidents come as Odisha prepares a State Policy for Witch‑Hunting (Prevention, Protection and Prosecution) slated for 2026, which proposes stronger prevention, quick rescue, fast trials, special courts and action against officials who ignore complaints.

Context

Witch‑hunting remains a reported problem in parts of rural India, often driven by superstition. The upcoming policy aims to curb such violence through legal and administrative reforms.