Branded ‘witch’, woman tied to a tree, tortured with a hot iron rod for 2 days in Bundi, Rajasthan | Latest India News

A self-proclaimed exorcist and his associates allegedly called a 50-year-old woman a “dayen” (witch), tied her to a tree, cut her hair, blackened her face and tortured her with a hot iron rod for two days to “free” her from an “evil spirit” in Bundi district in Rajasthan, police reported on Friday to news agency PTI.

According to Bundi Superintendent of Police Rajendra Kumar Meena, Nandubai Meena, a resident of Shahapura district, was subjected to brutal torture for two days at a place of worship of a local deity near Gudagokulpura village in the premises of the Hinduli police station.

According to the SP, the torture was allegedly to free her from an “evil spirit” that was believed to be harming her maternal niece, who had recently gotten married in the village.

On receiving this information, the police on Friday rescued Meena and based on the victim’s statement, they filed charges against Babulal, a self-proclaimed exorcist, and his two accomplices.

However, the victim’s family claimed that the incident occurred a few days earlier and was reported to the police on November 27, but no immediate action was taken.

The family also cited an alleged one-minute video clip of the incident, alleging that the accused tortured Meena with the help of locals on the pretext of being under the “spell” of the deity.

Deputy SP (Hindoli Circle) Ajit Meghwanshi explained that the victim filed a police report on November 27 and then returned to his house in Shahapura district.

While police were trying to locate Meena to record her statement, her family members released a video of the incident to local media on Friday. This led the authorities to find the woman and send her for medical examination, the DSP explained.

“Police registered a case on Friday evening and detained Babulal for questioning. Efforts are underway to arrest the remaining accused, the officer said.