Witch-hunt in Jharkhand: Widow paraded, forced to swallow herbs

India Jul 21, 2025

In Jharkhand's Hazaribag district, a 60-year-old widow was assaulted by villagers after being accused of witchcraft.
A witch doctor from another district labeled her a witch and pushed for her expulsion.
The villagers forced her to swallow herbs, confess to being a witch, and paraded her around the village with her head shaved.
She later filed a police complaint about the assault and attempts to take over her property.

One arrested, 6 on the run

So far, police have arrested one suspect while six others are still on the run. Officials say all those involved have been identified and raids are ongoing.
This disturbing incident is part of a bigger problem—Jharkhand faces frequent witch-hunt attacks, yet real action to stop them is still missing.