Odisha: Police Rescue Woman Held In Captivity Over ‘Witchcraft’

Police on Monday rescued a woman who was kept in captivity by the residents of Chemachata village under Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary in Balasore for allegedly practising witchcraft.

As per reports, the woman was rounded up by the villagers after a one-year-old girl child died at the village couple of days ago.

The villagers suspected that the girl died because of some black magic performed by the woman, following which they held her in captivity and waited for the 10th-day ritual of the deceased, the day on which the lady would have been made to sacrifice her life as well.

Following her rescue, the lady has been shifted to a shelter home in Udala under Mayurbhanj district.

Speaking about her ordeal, the lady said, “The villagers accused me of practising black magic, but I do not know anything about it. They scolded me even if I speak on the phone.”

“I am a lonely woman; I have to bring all my food items from the market myself. If I go to market, while returning, the locals would target me over my late arrival in house and accuse me of practising sorcery,” she alleged.

The Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Nilagiri, Ritesh Mohapatra said, “We received a tip off about the incident from an informer. Intimated the Berhampur police team which rescued the lady from the clutches of the villagers.”

“The lady belonged to Kaptipada area under Udala police limits, so we informed the Kaptipada police which put the distress lady at a shelter,” Mohapatra added.