Rationalists declare war on witches in Orissa

SUNDARGARH , 11 Oct 2004

[T H O U G H T S : Your thoughts can be your prison, or they can set you free to soar ]


Police invite rationalists to convince tribals

In May this year Noni Ekka of Tainsar Panchayat was treated inhumanly and tortured after villagers felt that she practised sorcery.

Last year in January, Dhuleswar Barik hacked six persons to death one by one in Alapaka village under Kinjrekela police limits within a span of eight hours hours after he suspected one of them of practising witchcraft. He was awarded death sentence by a local court this year.

Bisaka Munda of village Kurga was trembling due to high fever. But her family thought that she had been possessed by some evil spirits.

They kicked, punched and jumped over her the entire night to drive away evil spirits. The end result: She died. Seven members of her family were chargesheeted.

As many as 41 deaths due to sorcery have been reported to Sundargarh Police since 2001. While nine deaths were reported in 2001, witchcraft related casualty rose to 11 in 2002.

Likewise, nine other deaths took place in 2003 and this year already 12 have been reported. In most cases, family members and co-villagers are involved in the crime.

To root out such crime arising out of blind beliefs, Sundargarh Police led by SP Y.K. Jethwa roped in rationalist Prof. Narendra Nayak, working in Kasturba Medical Collge, Mangalore and launched a campaign against superstition to contain recurrence of such crimes.

Sundargarh police is perhaps the fist district police in the country to undertake such a campaign. Earlier in 2002, it had brought in rationalist B. Premanand from Coimbatore. The visit had a dramatic effect.

No such reports came in from the areas where the demonstrations had been organised.

The endeavours of both Premanand and Prof. Nayak drew huge crowds and generated curiosity among tribals as they demonstrated tricks which tribals thought could only be performed by those possessing super natural powers. Tribals were also explained the science behind these miracle.

The demonstrations included distribution of bibhuti out of the blue and piercing the tongue with specially made spears, paper catching fire, etc.

Prof Nayak explained powdered potassium permanganate kept on the paper pieces catches fire once glycerine is poured over it.

Terming the campaign as the beginning, Jethwa said he would try to train few of his men in the tricks so that the campaign can continue. He hoped that such demonstrations left a lasting impression on the tribals and would bear fruit in long run.

Rationalists declare war on witches in Orissa
Sundergarh (Orissa) | September 29, 2004 3:35:37 PM IST

Orissa's Sundergarh District, it seems, is devoid of rationality, as a majority of its dominant tribal population continues to be superstitious and fearful about incidents, which they say are linked to sorcery and witchcraft.

The police here claim that as many as 41 people have been killed by witchcraft or sorcery since the year 2000.

The naked parading of Nuni Ekka in Tainsar village after being branded a witch (Dayan) in May this year and the macabre incident of a man sacrificing his own child to ward off evil spirits in Relhaposh village are just two of several such incidents.

However, all hope hasn't been lost as yet. The Orissa Rationalist Association and the local police have embarked upon a campaign against superstition, with the aim of promoting a scientific temper among the tribals.

"Taking preventive measures too is the role of police. We are running awareness campaigns for the same. We are going to various villages. We go the village markets and our police officers spread the message through folk songs in the local language. Besides this, we have associated some NGOs with us to help us in our endeavour. We also have certain educated scientists and professors with us," said Y K Jetwa, the area's superintendent of police.

Professor Nayak, an eminent scientist working with the Kasturba Gandhi Medical College, Mangalore visited the remote corners of the tribal dominated Sundergarh district to eradicate superstitions from among the people.

"I am trying to eradicate superstition from among the masses by roaming around the villages. The society is harmed by these superstitions to a great extent. Every type of loss, for example loss of honour, loss of property and loss of life, all such losses are incurred by superstitions. Therefore I want to eradicate them all," said Professor Nayak.

Slowly but steadily, his work has caught up with the tribals, who have flocked in large numbers to witness the scientific demonstrations presented by him.

"I realised that the witchcraft is nothing but a farce. We children have understood this much, but the elders haven't. This way people just waste their money," said Rahul, a student. (ANI)