NHRC issues a notices to the Government of Rajasthan over plight of the women branded as witches in Bhilwara District [13.06.2016]

Press Release

New Delhi, 13th June, 2016

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report about the plight of women, who had been branded as witches in District Bhilwara, Rajasthan. Allegedly, the State Authorities have not taken effective action against either the offenders or to curb this menace.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious violation of human rights of the hapless and helpless women in the State of Rajasthan.
Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Government of Rajasthan calling for reports in the matter. They have been asked to indicate the action taken by the law enforcement in each such incident and the steps taken by the State Authorities to address the issue.
Highlighting their difficulties, the media report says that most often widows or women without any family support had been branded as witches. Some of them were tortured brutally or even killed. Some of them were forced to leave their homes, and their properties were grabbed by powerful people.
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