"You're A Witch!"

"Some random neighbour with whom I had no connection fell ill and I was branded a witch" 34-year old Sabita Devi whose red- marks from beatings had still not faded answered timidly during an interview.

Sabita is one of the numerous other women who are tortured and abused every day, sometimes even killed for apparently bringing bad luck to the villagers.

These illiterate superstitious people often don't blame the lack of monsoons for crop failure or jaundice and cholera for the death of a dear one, but the evil witches. These witches are most of the time 'selected' by an Ojha, a witch-doctor for whom exploiting the narrow mindset of such mob is quite easy.

"The neighbour's wife told the villagers to kill me as her husband had died due black magic which I did since I was a widow. These hands have for years washed utensils to earn bread and never indulged in such an act." Sabita continued pointing towards her pale hands- the lines of which had become dim as did her destiny.

One instigation and these mob armed with sticks, rods and whips leave no stone unturned to de-witch the women. These ladies are then either left to die in unknown areas or are paraded in the entire village.

"It is always a woman who is blamed and it is always another woman who blames her. I pleaded many times, even asked them to search my hut, but they turned deaf ears and continued to beat me with rods before throwing me near a remote pond. I was lucky enough to be spotted by a local fisherman who rescued me." Sabita's eyes glittered with tears as she narrated her ordeal.

There are more than 2000 reported cases of witch-hunting in India, while various others remaining unreported to prevent 'family shame' and them being 'internal matters of the villages'.

"After I was saved, I led a miserable life. The Sarpanch banned me from using the local well, the womenfolk abandoned me, the shopkeepers were not ready to give me groceries and everyone stopped communicating with me. I lost my livelihood and would often beg in front of temples to fill my stomach." Sabita wept holding a photo of her late husband.

A Local boycott is the end result of such a crime which renders little to no options for that woman and she is forced to leave the village in search of a livelihood. The next year (Fraud?) Ojhas identify other witches (with whom they have personal disputes and want to teach a lesson) thus perpetuating the cycle since the believers are too blind to reach a rational conclusion.

What these Semi-Gods and vigilantes forget is that there exists an Actual God who keeps a report of the entire universe and a Karma who will make sure they will get back what they gave to others: Pain and suffering.

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