Witch hunt is widely prevalent in Gujarat’s Dang district even as the police received 145 written complaints of women being dubbed as ‘dakan’ over the past decade.
Most of these women were found to be widows and they were subjected to torture under superstition, cops found when they traced 64 such women.
The police initiated ‘Project Devi’ — under which cops meet these victims, their family members and villagers to sensitise them about the ills of superstitions. They not only warn family members of legal actions if such practices are not stopped but have also met some witch doctors – known locally as Bhuva – who pronounce women as witches, and told them to abolish such detrimental traditions completely.
She teams of each police station have been deputed to stay in regular touch with these victims. They will continue meeting village elders and Bhuvas to ensure the superstition stops completely.
To remove the stigma from the minds of the victims and their families, the police recently organised an event to honour them in public and encouraged them to share their experiences.
A 55-year-old widow, who did not succumb to the ostracism after being declared witch, fought for over five years until she received help from social workers and the police.
It is a common practice for men to approach a Bhuva in prolonged illness or financial crisis in the family. The Bhuva then declares a woman as witch if there is one in the family, or some already suppressed woman existed in the family.
These women are thrashed. Family members walk over them and they are not even given food. They are made to sleep under a bed.
Deputy superintendent of police, Dang, SG Patil, posted as a sub-inspector in Dang 13 years ago, started working on the issue then. Returning to the same district as a senior officer now, he started working on it again.
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