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Jharkhand Tops the List of Witch-Hunting States of India

According to the data, Jharkhand leads the country in incidences of witch-hunting. This is the practice of labeling women as "witches" before punishing them with violence, which is frequently fatal. According to records, 173 persons have been slain in Jharkhand since 2014 after being labelled as witches. As per NCRB data, Jharkhand was home to 19 of the 73 individuals executed across India on suspicion of practicing witchcraft in 2017.

Jharkhand was home to 18 of the 63 "witchcraft" deaths reported across the country in 2018, accounting for roughly a third of all deaths. Madhya Pradesh, a state with more than twice the population, came in second with ten deaths. Jharkhand was rated third in witch-hunting cases in 2019, according to the National Crime Record Bureau, with 15 murders tied to the crime. The state of Chhattisgarh stood at the top of the list, with 22 killings. However, Jharkhand is currently at the top of the list, with eight additional killings committed in the name of witch-hunting.

Despite awareness efforts, rigorous action against the perpetrators, and an existing rule to combat the scourge, police say that killings in the name of witch-hunting continue to rise. On October 12, three members of a family from a village within the Saiko police station area in Khunti district, identified as Birsa Munda, Sukru Purti, and Somwari Purti, were abducted and killed on charges of practicing witchcraft. Three people have been arrested in connection with the event, and raids are underway to capture the remaining suspects.

A "witch doctor" named Kurchu Munda was slain with a sharp knife four days later, on October 16, in the Bedo police station area of Ranchi district.

A woman was beaten to death in Bundu police station area of Khunti district on September 15 for allegedly practicing witchcraft. Her spouse was also killed while attempting to save her. During the same month, another woman was killed in the Gumla district for the same reason. Concerned about the increasing number of instances, Khunti police recently met with the district administration to consider stepping up mass awareness programs in local languages.

Arun Oroan, a former IPS officer, claimed that despite the existence of a law prohibiting witch-hunting, it has not proven successful thus far. "In many situations, illiteracy and superstition are the primary causes of homicides," he stated. Adivasis were disproportionately affected by the social evil."

He also stated that people in villages are reliant on unscientific techniques such as black magic to find a treatment for their ailments due to a lack of healthcare services. "These activities exacerbate the problem of witch-hunting," Oraon continued.

Murder is widespread in Jharkhand, fuelled by a belief in black magic. According to recently-released National Crime Records Bureau data, the state reported 27 deaths tied to charges of witchcraft in 2019, up from 18 comparable deaths in 2018. In an informal interview with IndiaSpend, police authorities blamed the attacks on the state's low literacy rate – 70.3 percent, compared to the national average of 75.4 percent – and the belief in black magic.

To end the practice of witch-hunting in Jharkhand, activists have urged the implementation of a federal law holding 'ojhas' (witch-doctors) and tribal chieftains accountable." Every year in Jharkhand, over 40-50 individuals, usually women, are tortured and killed in the name of witch-hunting," said Premji, chairman of the non-governmental organization Free Legal Aid Committee (FLAC).

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, Jharkhand ranked third in the country in witch-hunting incidents in 2019, with 15 persons killed. The most recent deaths occurred in September of this year in Loto village, Gumla district, when three members of a family were hacked to death for supposedly performing black magic.

On October 27, another case of a lady being murdered for 'black magic' was reported. The tragedy occurred in a village near Jamshedpur, Jharkhand's steel capital. Neighbors allegedly beat a 55-year-old woman to death for "supposedly" practicing black magic. On Thursday morning, October 28, residents discovered a woman's half-naked body on the borders of Mangad hamlet. On October 27, the 55-year-old woman was allegedly battered to death. When her husband attempted to save her, attackers scared him away.

According to Chandra Shekhar Azad, the police officer investigating the case, the locals quickly contacted the police after discovering the deceased's body, who raced to the scene and arrested two people. According to a complaint submitted by the wife of one of the neighbors, she became ill when the woman accused of witchcraft came to her house and grabbed her wrist. According to the deceased woman's husband, the deceased was accused of practicing witchcraft and was tormented by the townspeople. Although the villagers had previously asked for a general assembly against her, this was not new.

A devastating shortage of quality, accessible healthcare in a mostly rural state, as is discovered in investigations across Jharkhand's Ranchi and Gumla districts. The countryside is home to up to 75.95 percent of the state's population. People in distress find it easier to seek aid from quacks and ojhas because public health facilities are located in remote places and transportation is limited.

It was discovered from villagers, law enforcement officers, and NGO workers that poor healthcare, low literacy, and deeply entrenched beliefs in the healing power of the ojhas are the reasons why Jharkhand continues to report a high number of witch-hunt deaths.

Madwari Oraon, the pradhan or head of Nagar Siskari village in western Jharkhand's Gumla district, confirmed this: "Even if someone falls from the cycle, they will reach out to an ojha because they feel the incident was caused by bad luck." Four people were lynched in Madwari Oraon's village on July 20, 2019, due to fears of witchcraft. Bolo Oraon, a 45-year-old alcoholic, had died, and an ojha had blamed the four for his death, which occurred in a shared community space directly behind Oraon's residence.