Bhubaneswar: Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has recommended the state govt to pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the next of kin of a woman killed in 2018 by villagers in Sundargarh district, suspecting her of practising witchcraft.
During hearing of a petition filed by human rights activist Biswapriya Kanungo and lawyer Bijaya Kumar Panda, OHRC, in its Nov 4 order, asked the Sundargarh district magistrate to take all appropriate steps for the payment of compensation to the next of kin of the deceased within two months from the date of receipt of the order and submit the compliance report by Feb 4.
The petitioners filed the case based on a news report published in TOI about the attack on Jasoda Singh and her family by villagers of Singatola Rotakhandi under Biramitrapur police station limits at 8:30 pm on March 2, 2018.
When her husband and son came to rescue her, the group of villagers thrashed them too. All three were taken to Rourkela Govt Hospital. Jasoda succumbed to her injuries, but the father and son recovered after treatment. The commission took cognisance of the case and asked for action taken reports from state govt officials.
On April 28, 2018, the Sundargarh SP submitted a report stating that 11 people involved in the incident were arrested. However, the report did not mention compensation to the next of kin of the deceased. Hence, OHRC passed an interim recommendation for the payment of compensation.
The petitioners brought to the notice of OHRC the larger issue of witch-hunting prevalent in different parts of the state. They alleged the state machinery failed to protect the life and dignity of Jasoda.
"Such incidents are reported despite the state having the Odisha Prevention of Witch-hunting Act, 2013. This commission is of the prima facie view that it is not sufficient to deal with such incidents of killing and violence leading to death on suspicion of practising ‘witchcraft'," the order said.