India has long been regarded as a ‘spiritually advanced’ country, with tourists heading there in droves to experience the teachings and atmosphere of this amazing place.

Yet, as with all cultures deeply rooted in spiritual values, there can exist a outdated faction that adheres to traditional ‘spiritual law’, often with disastrous consequences.

Consider the case of the Sundargarh district of Orissa, India, within whose boundaries exists a group that to this day persecutes people on suspicion of practising witchcraft, resulting in the murder of 41 people accused of being 'witches' in the past 4 years alone.

In 2001, in the tribally-dominated Orissa, 5 women and 1 man were murdered in different villages, and in 2002, 14 murders were recorded, including those of 7 women.

Although 23 ‘suspects’ in these murders have been apprehended by the Indian police, there has been no decrease in people becoming victims of those who suspect them of practicing witchcraft, and no drop in the murder rate.

Indian police sources affirm that it is more a social problem, with wide spread superstition holding fast against 'modern' lawmakers in the tribal area, and they explain that this issue must be dealt with through awareness campaigns to educate people against such beliefs.


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