Tollywood Dalit producer seeks SC panel help to save his land in Tekkali
Joint Action Committee of Scheduled Castes and Tribes of Srikakulam district co-convener Kantha Venu, Ambedkar India Mission State vice president Taekwondo Srinu, and representatives of various Dalit organisations briefed Mr. Ramachander about the injustice faced by Mr. Prakash. They claimed that many Dalit entrepreneurs in Srikakulam were being harassed by influential individuals who were attempting to grab lands belonging to those from marginalised communities.
In the memorandum, Mr. Prakash and others alleged that Tekkali Revenue Divisional Officer M. Krishna Murthy was encouraging a few Tekkali residents including Lakkoji Gangarao, L. Keshava Rao, L. Sankara Rao and Y. Srinivasa Rao to create legal problems and project the site as a disputed property although it was bought by Mr. Prakash in 2023.
According to them, Mr. Prakash obtained all valid documents from members and legal heirs of the Jagadhatri Displaced Goldsmiths RCC Spun Pipes Cooperative Society in 2023. The land comes under the survey numbers of 520/1 and 520/3 of the Tekkali mandal.
Mr. Prakash said: 'The government is encouraging SC entrepreneurs across the State. Unfortunately, Tekkali revenue officials are causing mental agony despite the then Tekkali sub-collector and other officials having issued sale deed, adangal and conversion approvals after payment of the statutory fees to the government two years ago. No Dalit industrialist will come forward to set up industries if fake petitions are encouraged by the revenue department.'
Mr. Ramachander assured the delegation that the Commission would verify the veracity of the documents and investigate the issue in a few days.
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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Witchcraft killings expose Bihar's deep-rooted superstition crisis
1 2 Patna: The night of July 6 in a remote Purnia village turned into a scene of unimaginable horror. Around 50 people allegedly set ablaze five members of Sita Devi's family, accusing the 45-year-old woman of practising witchcraft. By morning, the scheduled tribe household, including three women, had been reduced to ashes. Police at Muffassil registered a case against 23 named people and several unidentified others. Yet, despite national outrage and the arrest of 10 suspects, justice feels distant for those left behind. Ten days after the atrocity, the National Human Rights Commission took suo motu cognizance of the killings and issued notices to the chief secretary and the state's director general of police. But for villagers in state's remote pockets, this was not an isolated outrage but part of a grim, recurring pattern. Superstition and fear hold sway where education and healthcare are scarce. In such places, accusations of "witchcraft" are common, often targeting vulnerable women – but not exclusively. Only last week, a 45-year-old man in a Gaya village met a gruesome fate. Accused of "black magic" and blamed for another villager's death, he was tortured, his tongue cut off and killed. Bihar was the first state to enact the Prevention of Witch Practices Act in 1999. The law makes it a crime to identify someone as a witch, abet such an act or perform harmful rituals against them. Offences can carry prison sentences ranging from three months to a year, along with fines. Yet, more than two decades later, the law remains little more than ink on paper in many rural hearts and minds. According to additional director general (weaker section) Amit Jain, Gaya, Aurangabad, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur and Motihari police district are among the worst affected. Between Jan and May this year, 192 witchcraft-related cases were reported in Bihar, excluding the Purnia tragedy, though police dismissed 32 as unfounded. The numbers were far higher in recent years – 621 in 2024 and 629 in 2023. Police data since 2019 show the peak in 2020 with 797 cases reported during the Covid pandemic. But activists warn that these official figures mask the true scale. Santosh Sharma of a Delhi-based trust working with victims says, "During a survey in 2023, 148 women from 118 villages in around 10 districts came forward to tell their tale while many didn't want to speak up for fear of retaliation." By her estimation, based on field data, as many as 70,000 women in Bihar's 44,000 villages could be facing violence linked to witchcraft allegations at this moment. The silence is deafening. Neither the state's One Stop Centres nor its 181 Women Helpline has received formal complaints of witch-hunting. "The majority of victims don't even go to panchayats or police. Those who do often find no support. In many cases, panchayats play a negative role," Sharma says. She recalls a chilling 2023 case from Gaya, where a Dalit woman and her husband were burned alive after refusing to undergo a "trial" organised by the village. They had already approached the police, but in vain. Police, however, insist they are working to raise awareness. "Our weaker section division and women police stations organise meetings in rural areas to sensitise people about the Act. Every year during the Sonepur Harihar Kshetra Fair, we distribute pamphlets to spread awareness," Jain says. Sharma's organisation has also engaged with panchayats and even with some 'ojhas' (sorcerers). "Most ojhas target a vulnerable woman after some misfortune, like a death in the family or crop loss. But a few have promised to play a positive role after the Purnia incident," she says, adding that they must be brought under legal scrutiny. However, awareness among grassroots leaders is shockingly low. "We talked to 81 panchayat mukhiyas during our survey – 61 didn't know about the witchcraft prevention law and only two had discussed it in gram sabha," Sharma reveals. She believes the govt must educate panchayats and involve popular rural women's groups like Jeevika didis in the fight. Social welfare department secretary Bandana Preyashi says that while regular awareness programmes address violence against women, there is no specific campaign against witch-hunting. Nor is there a dedicated rehabilitation scheme. "Victims can access temporary shelter through One Stop Centres and Short Stay Homes," she says. Psychologists warn that temporary aid is insufficient. Survivors often suffer lifelong trauma – from post-traumatic stress and anxiety to intergenerational scars and self-harm. For thousands of others living under the shadow of suspicion, the fear is not of spirits or spells, but of neighbours, mobs and a justice system too slow to save them. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
Superstition ruining lives
Patna: West Champaran's Lakshmi Devi (name changed), now in her 80s, still fears returning to her native village in Bagaha block, even after 21 years. The memories of that cold winter morning in Dec 2004 remain vivid. She was cooking when hundreds of villagers, men and women alike, stormed her home. They shaved her head, blackened her face and paraded her through the village with a garland of shoes before throwing her out. Her crime, in their eyes, was being a "witch". Her young son had died, her daughter-in-law had left for her maternal home with two children and when a village child fell ill, suspicion fell on her. After the violent humiliation, she took shelter with her brother in a nearby village before leaving Bihar for good, settling in Gorakhpur with her husband. Those who chose to remain in their villages faced a different prison. "Many say they get out at 2 or 3 in the morning to fetch water so that no one can see them. If anyone falls sick in the neighbourhood, they pray for their wellness so that she is not blamed. Their children are discriminated against in schools, because no one plays with them. At times, they face economic punishment like fines or organising a feast for the entire village," said social activist Santosh Sharma. Such medieval cruelty still shadows rural Bihar, even as the state boasts progress. Political speeches have long invoked women's empowerment with schemes from both state and central govts, yet this is one area where the promises ring hollow. Activists insist Bihar's pioneering Prevention of Witch Practices Act is not enough. They call for a stronger law and a carrot-and-stick approach towards panchayats, which often act as the final authority in village disputes. Superstition remains the dominant cause, fuelled by poor education and limited healthcare in remote, marginalised communities, particularly among Dalit, OBC and EBC groups. In the absence of reliable medical care, villagers turn to ojhas (traditional healers), who often blame illness on a defenceless woman, convincing others they are "killing the evil". Psychologist Nidhi Singh of Magadh Mahila College said, "Humans have a tendency to draw conclusions and find reasons as to why anything is happening. This cognitive bias often leads to biases against people who are vulnerable, lonely or have a physical handicap." Personal grudges also play a part. Sharma recounted the case of a woman who was branded a witch by her own brother and sister-in-law after she claimed her share of her father's property. "It often starts from the family and spreads to the neighbourhood and ultimately the village," she said, pointing to a patriarchal mindset that punishes vocal and independent women. Her trust's survey found that women in leadership roles or those who assert themselves are often targeted, alongside the socially vulnerable. Mental illness, Singh said, is frequently misinterpreted as witchcraft. Most victims are middle-aged and from dalit, Muslim, OBC and EBC communities. Incidents often rise during the monsoon when seasonal diseases strike. The impact is devastating. Survivors frequently develop post-traumatic stress disorder, sometimes surfacing years later. "The state should ensure the victims feel safe and their biological processes like eating and sleeping happen on time. Then comes grief resolution before they can be brought to the mainstream. The state machinery's duty doesn't end with compensation but it should keep track of their well-being from time to time," said Singh, warning that survivors often display extreme behaviours in response to stress. She added that many women suffer inter-generational trauma, passing on stress and mistrust to their children. Shame, humiliation and the relentless memory of their ordeal, now amplified by social media, can lead to self harm, suicidal thoughts and self-loathing. "It is a state failure that they can't be provided with long-term therapies," she said. According to additional director general (weaker section) Amit Jain, victims are entitled to interim financial assistance of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 under the 'Astitwa Yojana', provided by the district-level 'Manav Panan Samiti'. Experts suggest tackling both the root causes and immediate triggers. Weekly police patrols in vulnerable villages could act as a deterrent. Singh advocates education as the most powerful tool: "Panchayat leaders can spread awareness about mental illnesses and against superstitious beliefs like witchcraft through nukkad natak, distributing pamphlets and other means. Village priests and healers can teach compassion. " D M Diwakar, former director of A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies, believes the focus should be on shaping young minds with scientific temperament while basic healthcare access could prevent many accusations from arising at all. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
Inter-caste, same-village marriage forces Dalit family to flee
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