Branded witch, 4 Rupandehi women stripped, abused

Accusing four women of practicing witchcraft , villagers in Shiktahan VDC-8 in Rupandehi have decided to severe all contacts with the families in question.
A ‘village assembly’ on Thursday morning branded Yam Kumari Tharu, Phulmati Ahir, Dhan Kumari Tharu and Parbati Tharu as witches.
Triloki Tharu, one of the victims, said they were made to sign a paper pertaining to the decision handed down by the assembly. The entire village stood against the
four families after they informed the police that they were harassed in public on October 13.
It all started on the eve of Bijaya Dashami. Villagers were celebrating at the village square, where an idol of goddess Durga had been installed. Two women, Renu Tharu and Nirmala Tharu, claimed that they were communing with the goddess and called out the names of the four women and accused them of practicing witchcraft . The four women were then dragged out of their homes to the village square, stripped, made to lick villagers’ spit and forced to confess that they were witches.
“Nobody helped us. Every one around cheered while we were being abused,” said Yam Kumari.
After the incident, the victims and their relatives filed a police complaint, which led to the arrest of Renu, Nirmala, Gunja Tharu, Ashish Chaudhary and Ashok Chaudhary. The victims have also provided a video clip of the incident to the police.
“We filed a case against the five suspects on Wednesday,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Deepak Neupane, said.  “The Rupandehi police have taken this matter very seriously and we will make sure that justice is delivered to the victims,” he said.

Source :- ekantipur.com