BALURGHAT, Oct. 24 -- Hundreds of tribal men and women gathered in front of Balurghat Police Station on Friday, protesting police inaction following a formal complaint lodged on October 8 over the branding of a tribal man as a 'witch' and alleged extortion by local influencers.
According to reports, Sunil Kisku, a resident of Birahini village under Balurghat Police Station, was falsely accused of witchcraft after a few youths in the village fell ill. Following the accusation, a local arbitration committee allegedly forced him to pay Rs 2.35 lakh as a "fine" and threatened to kill him if he refused to leave the village. Fearing for his life, Kisku fled his home and later filed an FIR against eight persons.
Protesters claimed that despite the FIR, police took no action against the accused. They further alleged that when Kisku approached the station for legal help, surprisingly no steps had been taken yet.
Holding placards and shouting slogans, protesters demanded the immediate arrest of the accused and return of the extorted money. Adivasi Singel leader Biplab Murmu said: "This is not just superstition but social and ethnic persecution. If justice is denied, we will launch a larger movement for Sunil Kisku's safety and dignity. Police should recover the fine of Rs 2.35 lakh that he was forced to pay."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.