Dhading woman branded witch, beaten up

DHADING, DEC 13 -
The various functions, rallies and other events held in the country as part of the 16-day global campaign against violence against women (VAW) had no effect, whatsoever, on 33-year-old Chanamati Magrati of Dhading district.

Magrati was subject to physical torture at the hands of her neighbours in Sunaulabazaar-4 on Tuesday, the very day the global campaign ended, while the event’s closure hit headlines the next day. The neighbours accused Magrati of being a witch.

The neighbours, including Suntali Magrati and her daughter Sita, rained batons on the woman until she fell unconscious, while they allegedly tried to slit her throat with a sickle.

“They attempted to slit my throat with a sickle, but I managed to save myself,” the victim said, adding that she almost lost two of her fingers as she defended herself.

Magrati is now at the district headquarters, Dhadingbesi, undergoing treatment. Doctors at the District Hospital said they had to install steel rods and stitch her fingers up.

Thirty-year-old Pampha Magrati, who was with Chanamati when she was attacked, also sustained injuries. “I tried to stop them from beating up Chanamati, but they charged me with supporting a ‘witch’ and beat me up too,” Pampha said.

With help from district-based women’s rights activists, both the victims have filed a complaint at the District Police Office (DPO).

“I listened to their accusations for three straight days (before the attack). They called me a witch and said I would kill their children and the cow they owned,” said Chanamati.

She added that she finally ran out of patience and “asked the mother-daughter duo to prove that I was a witch.” It was then that the duo thrashed Chanamati.

She said Suntali’s husband, Roop Bahadur, was the brain behind the assault.

The victims said the villagers pressured them to settle the issue in the village. They claimed that security personnel at the DPO also urged them to settle the case amicably.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashok Singh said a case has been filed and that justice would be delivered.

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