While the whole city is busy in discussing Wi-Fi facility launched by IT minister Rama Rao around the Hussainsagar Lake in the city, the illiterate and ill-bred people in the neighboring districts of Hyderabad are practising incantation and witchcraft at free will.
Much to the shock and dismay of the civilized society, the very sight of a lemon, some turmeric and a bunch of flowers is enough for the people who live on the outskirts.
According to reports, five persons, including two women, were brutally murdered in Telangana districts alone in 2015, in the name of ‘banamati’ or witchcraft and sorcery. The evil practice of witchcraft is predominantly prevalent in the poor and lower sections of the society, especially Dalits, illiterate and tribals.
As police fails to respond on such witchcraft acts, the angry people are taking laws in hand. Only a few days back, precisely on April 15, Savithramma, a mentally retarded woman, was mercilessly attacked by a mob of around 30 in Nizamabad district, suspecting her to be an agent of witchcraft, and the police and 108 staff stood mute witnesses to the cruelty.
This is just not the case of a women, such incidents happens more often in many districts of Telangana. Surprisingly Politicians, police and public representatives are unwilling to admit the truth.
“A national act to deal with witchcraft incidents is urgently required to stop the threat largely affecting poor and innocents in more than 15 States of the country including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh,” said Prem Chand chairman of the Free Legal Aid Committee (FLAC).
However, according to experts, the fear of witchcraft and sorcery is deeply rooted in the psyche of common people in Telangana.
According to T Ramesh, Telangana State general secretary, the evil practice is a result of illiteracy among poor people in the villages. “There is an urgent need to create awareness among poor villagers about ‘banamati and the ill-effects of superstitions”. It is sad to see that people even in the modern age believe in such things.