Statesman News Service
MALDA, July 28: Timely intervention of the Malda district administration has saved the lives of four middle-aged women who were branded as witches by a few tribals of Rajadighi village in Gazole block of the district.The section of the tribals were also raising subscription to summon a soothsayer from adjacent South Dinajpur district to have their suspicion confirmed and then slay the women who were branded as witches.It was learnt that about 45 tribal families of Rajadighi had raised an amount of Rs 23,500 and had struck a deal with a South Dinajpur based soothsayer for a sum of Rs 10,000 as his fees to identify the witches.Getting to know of the plot, the Malda district administration stepped in and made a firsthand check of the situation at Rajadighi. Some of the people informed the soothsayer of the official's presence in the village and advised her to stay away. The soothsayer was on her way to the village to carry out the work she was commissioned with. She ducked out after getting the news over a cell phone. Police are looking out for her.According to the district administrative officials, Rajadighi is not new to the practice of witch hunting. “Some people of the village fell ill due to several reasons at Rajadighi in recent times, which a section of the locals attributed to witchcraft,” said an administrative official.Having saved the situation, the district administration has set up police vigil in the area and launched an awareness campaign besides organising health check-up camps at Rajadighi village. Educated locals have been engaged in interacting with the tribal people and glean information before any incident of witch hunting can take place.
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