Modern Day Witch Hunting in India: Socio-Legal Perspectives

Allegations of witchcraft that result in violence and murder have long been a part of the history of rural India. But witch hunts in modern times are continuously reported by the UNHCR of the UNO as a massive violation of human rights. In spite of that the modern practice of witch hunting in India includes violence and beliefs that have led to the torture and murder of alleged witches. Most of the accused are women and children but can also be elderly people or marginalised groups of the community. These victims are often considered burdens to the community, and as a result are often driven out, starved to death, or killed violently, sometimes by their own families in acts of social cleansing. The causes of witch hunts include poverty, epidemics, social crises and lack of education. The leader of the witch hunt, often a prominent figure in the community or a "witch doctor", may also gain economic benefit by charging for an exorcism or by selling body parts of the murdered. Indian rationalists and women‘s rights activists have pushed for more effective and concrete efforts. Though they have sought stricter laws to punish violence stemming from witchcraft allegations, several groups want to change perceptions toward women and supernatural belief. Because the fact remains that legislation is not a cure for superstition; change in the mindset is the key.