Is Superstition And Religious Belief Always The Culprit In Witchcraft Murders?

An interesting article in thehindu.com highlights the recent growing trend of 'witchcraft' related murders across India.  As reported numerous times here at Ghost Stories as we aim to highlight the rampant abuse and murder of many, mainly elderly women (and some men) due to superstitious beliefs and lack of education.

The author of the article, entitled 'Innocents become targets in the name of witchcraft' recounts the recent history of witchcraft killings in India.  Dr. P. Ram Mohan Rao's piece begins with the murder of a middle aged woman who was tortured and later died from her injuries in hospital in Jawahar Colony in Rudrur of Varni mandal.  The woman was later confirmed to have been suffering from mental illness and it is surmised that her unusual behaviour is what led locals to the belief that she was a witch.

The doctor then goes on to recount two more incidents in which a man and woman respectively were both attacked after being 'identified' as practicing witchcraft and voodoo by local communities.  Still further is the account of a family of five who were burnt to death ten years ago and another three victims who were similarly murdered.

Rao notes that many such incidents go unreported and so the actual level of violence caused by the witchcraft panic in India is unknown.  Also of interest is the fact that it is not just superstition that is the cause of these killings.  Of this, the doctor says :-

'Killing innocents in the name of age old superstition has socio, economic, political and Dalit aspects also. In the villages where feudalism is high if the Dalits or other oppressed sections voted against local satraps in elections, they settled scores annihilating them by dubbing as sorcerers. Casteism is said to be another major reason for such offences.'

As we all know, fear of the boogeyman is enough to spook populations into action and allow the committing of atrocities on both minor and major scales.  The war in Iraq based of the false premise of the search for weapons of mass destruction and the conflation with the bombings of 9/11 being one such example.

On a positive note, the article does tell us that action is being taken in villages in India to combat the fear and superstition of the inhabitants of others who may be a little different to the norm.

Police have organised 'magic shows' to show the locals that sleight of hand and illusion is just that and not supernatural power.  The shows performers were presented as 'godmen' and only at the end of the shows were the audience invited to share in the secrets of the routine.

The doctor concludes the article with some suggestions as to how authorities could help to eradicate witchcraft killings in India :-


“If this baseless belief is to be rooted out totally, lessons should be incorporated in school curriculum and an Act on the lines of one enacted in Maharashtra be brought about. Core groups with local government employees, teachers and students need to be formed and all the more important is role of media.”