JUDGMENT

S.K.SAHOO, J. - Superstition poisons the mind. The feebler the mind is, the more space it creates for superstition. Once superstition starts ruling the mind, power of judgment what is good and what is bad vanishes. Murders and other serious crimes are continuing unabated in the name of witchcraft, sorcery and superstitious practices. The horrendous and lurid scenarios of the obsolescent superstition of witch-hunting have taken many an innocent lives. The tribal-dominated rural areas, where there is little access to medical care, education, justice and with widespread superstitions and beliefs, are prone to witch hunting. Witch hunting-related crime has many angles. More than the killings, the victims are subjected to abject humiliation, social ostracisation and torture. Incidents like severe beating, parading naked, feeding of excreta or chained to posts are common. The victims are mostly women, widows, issueless and unconventional ones who serve as healers or render services to the community. Lack of proper education, economic development, scientific temper and mass awareness programmes are the cause for superstitions which are violent, dangerous, destructive, harmful and