DLSA traces witchcraft victims, gives `25K

| | Ranchi | in Ranchi

A team of Ranchi District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) visited Ulatu Sukardih village under Namkum police station, following an instruction from acting Chief Justice-cum-JHALSA Executive Chairman DN Patel, and handed over a cheque of Rs 25000 to the sons of the couple, who recently got killed in the name of witchcraft.

The two sons, Munda Munda and Etwa Munda, had been hiding at an unknown place out of fear being killed by the villagers following the incident.

Allegedly, Hindu Munda killed Lohar Singh Munda and his wife Karro Devi on May 2 last in the name of witchcraft after his son died while being treated by the couple, practitioners of black magic, and buried their bodies in jungles in order to remove evidences. The police recovered the bodies on Tuesday last and lodged an FIR in this regard on the statements recorded by the victim’s sons. 

“The DLSA team reached out to the two sons of the couple and handed over the cheque of Rs 25000 jointly as immediate financial assistance to them sent by Judicial Commissioner cum DLSA Chairman Navneet Kumar on Saturday,” said DLSA Secretary Fahim Quirmani. The team also received an application from them and has forwarded it to the concerned Court under Jharkhand Victim Compensation Scheme — 2016 of the State Government, he added.

“Victim’s sons were also provided an advocate who will provide free legal assistance in contesting their case in the court,” said Quirmani.

The Acting Chief Justice had taken immediate cognizance of the reports published in various newspapers and directed Judicial Commissioner Navneet Kumar to provide relief to the victims children following a team headed by DLSA Secretary Fahim Quirmani was formed in this regard.

The DLSA Secretary said efforts were being made to locate them but no one in the village was able to tell about their whereabouts but finally, they were traced out on Saturday and the cheque was handed over to them.

The team formed by the DLSA Chairman consists of Panel lawyers Ranchandra Tiwari and Rajesh Sinha, four Para Legal Volunteers Nihal Kumar Singh, Anil Thakur, Tara Minj and Janshita Toppo. The team has assured the villagers that DLSA will provide all possible support to educate the children.