KOLKATA, DHNS: A witch
doctor proposed and the villagers did not oppose. Consequently, an entire
family of 15 in a village not too far from here was hounded out of their
home on suspicion that they were practising witchcraft and causing the
deaths of humans and livestock.
The police,
who had initially offered them shelter at a local government office,
on Tuesday asked the 65-year-old Haridasi Sardar and her family of ‘witches’
living in Nadia district to move elsewhere.
According
to reports, Sardar, her four sons their wives and six children, all residents
of Balaighata village, were charged with practising black magic and
casting a spell in the village, resulting in the deaths of several people
and livestock.
The witch
doctor, hired by the villagers to probe the deaths, ordered their immediate
expulsion from the village.
"We
are engaged at present in talks with the village administration for
some alternative (to evicting the family),” said Nadia Additional
Superintendent of Police Subrata Mitra. The police have already tried
twice to get them to be allowed back into their village, but have failed.
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