Woman brutally thrashed, fed pig faeces in Odisha

A woman was brutally beaten and forced to consume pig excreta after she was suspected to have been possessed by an evil spirit. Locals who believed in superstition immediately sought help from the sorcerer in this regard. The sorcerer came to the conclusion that the woman is possessed by a ghost and ‘prescribed’ faeces treatment accompanied by thrashing and burns. Blinded by superstition, her family too believed it and didn’t object.

Malkangiri: Superstition-related crimes continued in tribal-dominated Malkangiri district in Odisha as a woman was brutally beaten and forced to consume pig excreta as punishment.

The victim has been identified as Lipika Arao wife of Santosh Arao of MV-6 village of the district.

According to sources, Lipika was suspected to have been possessed by an evil spirit after she complained of illness. Locals struck by superstition immediately sought help from the sorcerer in this regard.

The sorcerer came to the conclusion that the woman is possessed by a ghost and ‘prescribed’ faeces treatment accompanied by thrashing and burns. Blinded by superstition, her family too believed it and didn’t object.

Following this, the sorcerer thrashed the woman, exposed her face to flame and fed her pig faeces to free the woman’s body from the possession.

When the woman sustained severe burn injuries and her condition deteriorated, local Anganwadi workers rescued the victim and admitted her to the Malkangiri District Headquarters Hospital in a critical condition. Meanwhile, the accused sorcerer is yet to be traced.

A local Anganwadi worker said that the woman has been unwell for a while and was having fit attacks, which was confused to be as ‘spirit possession’. She added there is a high need for awareness against black magic and sorcery.