Phatu Devi,45, a tribal woman from Dhatkidih,Jharkand had gone to meet her married daughter Anita, Unfortunately an hour later Anita’s sis-in-law’s 11 month old son who was already sick from some chronic disease died.

Her daughter in laws were grief stricken and they proceeded with the last rites burying the infant’s body in the evening but asked Phatu to stay back for the rituals.

Next morning they consulted the matter with a witch doctor who undoubtly saw an oppurtunity to gain financially as well as popularity,he told the family members that this tragedy took place because of some witch craft and there was someone present in the house who has an evil eye.

As the only new comer was Phatu she was branded as evil and as a witch.Not satisfied the family members exhumed the body of the infant and locked poor PHatu with the dead child in a dark and dingy room and ordered her to bring the baby back to life.

Poor Phatu was in a state of shock,fortunately another woman Chhutni Mahtain who had gone through the same ordeal some 14 years ago came to know about her plight and immediately sent some conscientious citizens to rescue Phatu.

At present Phatu is staying with Chhutni who is crusading against this cruel practise and rescuing and protecting the poor women who have been branded as witches.

The reasons for branding poor women as witches are many, one may be inheritance of family property by any widow puts her life in danger,or any old female who has some land can be branded as a witch by unscruplous people who want her property, or it may be grief stricken mother who has lost her child can put the blame on any village female who unfortunately does not child of her own.

But the basic reasons are two, selfish motives and illiteracy. The first cannot be removed while the other can be eradicated.

Now Phuta has lodged a case against her tormentors at Seraikela police station last week and two persons are remanded in judicial custody.