The court of Additional Judicial Commissioner (AJC), Ranchi, on Wednesday sentenced three persons to rigorous life imprisonment for murdering a woman after branding her as a witch. The incident took place in Sinduwar village under Chanho police station area on July 24, 2009.
The AJC SS Prasad sentenced Sunil Oraon, Ropna Oraon and Mahavir Oraon to life term under section 302 of IPC. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convicts while ordering that they would have to serve additional three months in prison in case of default in payment.
The court also sentenced the three convicts to rigorous imprisonment (RI) of three months and fined Rs 1000 under section 3 of Prevention of Witch Practices Act. The convicts were also awarded RI of six months and fined Rs 2000 under section 4 of the same act.
Two other accused namely Fagua Oraon and Jhapro Oraoin were acquitted as the charges could not be established against them.
According to the FIR lodged by the Letenga Oraon, husband of the deceased woman Batty Oraoin, the accused had reached his home armed with lathis in the night on July 24. They dragged his wife Batty out of the house and beat her up to death. The husband said that he tried to protect her but failed.
The police had registered a case (47/2009) in this connection and carried out the investigation.
