Ranchi: A lower court on Thursday awarded rigorous life imprisonment to 13 men guilty of murdering five women they branded as witches at Kanjia Marai village in Mandar on August 8, 2015.
Twenty-six others, including two women, were set free.
Three years ago, homemakers and farmers Jasinta Toppo (55), Ratia Oraon (70), Madni Oraon (55), Etwaria Oraon (50) and Tetri Oraon (35) were lynched by villagers who accused the women of practicing black magic on a boy who died.
The men convicted are Burnwas Khalkho, Xaveer Khalkho, Mozesh Khalkho, Krishna Khalkho, Baldeo Khalkho, Sannu Khalkho, Sannu Oraon, Arun Bara, Sandeep Khalkho, Sachin Khalkho, Albinus Khalkho, Romit Khalkho and Rajesh Tigga. All are aged between 22 and 60 and had been neighbours of the women.
Delivering judgment in four cases of the lynching, the court of additional judicial commissioner, Ranchi civil courts, Swarn Shanker Prasad held the 13 guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code, and Sections 3, 4, 5 of Prevention of Witchcraft Act.
The court imposed a fine of Rs 38,000 each on them under Sections 302, 354 of IPC and Prevention of Witchcraft Act. If they fail to pay, convicts will serve 10 more months of simple imprisonment.
“Four separate cases were lodged by the family of the deceased women in which judgments were delivered today (Thursday). Altogether 43 people were accused, which included two minors whose trial is on at juvenile justice court. That left 41 adults. During the trial, one of the accused adults died and the trial of another was made separate. So, of the 39 adult accused, the court on Thursday convicted 13 and acquitted 26 others, including two women,” public prosecutor Pramanand Yadav said.
Xaveer, Mozesh, Krishna, Baldeo, Sandeep and Sachin were convicted in all four cases. Arun and Rajesh Tigga were held guilty in three and two cases, and the rest in one each.
“By life imprisonment, the court means convicts will have to undergo at least 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. The punishment of those convicted in more than one case will run serially,” explained the public prosecutor.
The courtroom and premises were jam-packed with people, including relatives of the accused. No one came from the deceased’s side.
The court observed the victims were murdered before their families. “Nobody saved them. Police arrived late but crowd forced them to depart. Alas, had Lord Krishna come to protect them like (he saved) Draupadi.” Judge Prasad quoted Sigmund Freud on mob psychology and Hindi poet Sudama Panday Dhoomil on how murder had become a habit.
Later, this reporter called up Anima, daughter of the deceased Jasinta. “I am disappointed,” said Anima who stays with her sister and father in the same village. “Around 100 people killed my mother and four others. But only 13 were convicted. The murderers had danced with weapons over the bodies. We still live in fear.”
( The Telegraph)