A 65-year-old woman is stripped, beaten and forced to eat feces for allegedly practicing witchcraft

An elderly woman was stripped‚ beaten mercilessly and fed human faeces in Beladipur VDC of Kailali district, Nepal, for allegedly practicing witchcraft at 4am on Friday morning. Her niece, Nira Rana, and brother-in-law Ramsingh Rana, thrashed Raj Kumari Rana‚ 65‚ and shaved her head‚ accusing her of using black magic to kill Nira’s new-born son some eight years ago.

Raj Kumari’s husband Nahara Rana said a group of 30 people had barged into his house and beat up Raj Kumari with timber pieces. “Nira thrashed Raj Kumari with whatever she could lay her hands on in the house. They hit her so hard that two of her teeth had fallen off‚” Nahara Rana recounted‚ adding with disgust that they also fed her filthy water and stool collected from toilet. He added that Raj Kumari was critically injured after the miscreants thrust a stick into her anus.

Raj Kumari’s son Dal Bahadur said Nira’s son had died the day it was born eight years ago. “Since then‚ Nira has been accusing my mother of practising black magic‚” Dal Bahadur said. According to him‚ Nira had attacked his mother in a similar manner two years ago as well and the matter was taken to village kachahari‚ which solves disputes in the village.

Dal Bahadur said village kachahari had asked them not to report the incident to the police. “But‚ the neighbours informed about the incident to the police”‚ he said. The victim was critically injured and the police could take her to the hospital until after 2 pm. “I was stripped and humiliated. My jewels and clothes were burned in the house yard‚” Victim Raj Kumari recalled. Meanwhile‚ perpetrator Nira Rana admitted to her wrongdoing. Police have arrested Nira and her husband‚ Lalsingh. Injured Raj Kumari is undergoing treatment at Seti Zonal Hospital.