28-year-old Hasina Chaudhary of Gaunaiya, Bhajani Municipality 1 of Kailali was beaten to death for being a witch. He was beaten up by relatives of the village on December 1 and 4. Injured Hasina is being treated at Navjeevan Hospital in Dhangadhi.

Hasina said that she was beaten up on the instructions of Bhalmansa Lal Bahadur Chaudhary after Manoj Chaudhary, the village's 'guruwa' (deity of the Tharu community), accused her of being a witch.

According to him, 25-year-old Manoj was collected 1000 each from all the families in the afternoon of 1st of January, saying that he had come to Guruva. She also asked for 1000 from Maiti and gave it. Ramlal Choudhary, Karan Choudhary and Jairam Choudhary came at home around 8 o'clock while nursing the baby.

"They took me out of the house and started beating me in the yard saying that you are a witch and harassing us," she narrated, "Jairam's son Ramesh took his father and others back saying that they should not be beaten." 

Only Hasina and her two children were at home when the beating took place. Hasina told me that she had to spend the night in fear. Husband Chunnilal had gone to Pune, India four days ago for work. Wages are the only source of income for the family. I called my husband the next day and told him that he was beaten up on the accusation of witchcraft. I also submitted a request to the police," said Hasina. 

Even after filing a complaint with the police, Hasina was beaten up. Around 3 pm a group of five women and six men including Jairam, Ramlal, Karan, Rupa Chaudhary reached his house. "Suddenly they came to my house and they kicked me out of the house and beat me up. He took it to Guruva Manoj's house with the help of Jagalta. He slept on the straw spread in the courtyard of Guruva's house.

Then some hit her with a stick, some kicked her,' said Hasina, 'then they poured water on her body. I asked to confess that I am a witch, but I said I am not a witch. When I didn't agree, my husband came while Faruwa was stroking my neck. Then I lived. And what happened, I don't remember.' 

The villagers were amused as the group continued to beat them on accusations of witchcraft. If I had arrived, I would have killed him. My children would be orphans,' said Chunnilal to Kantipur. 

Hasina was rendered unconscious by the beating. Her husband Chunnilal immediately took her to Bhajani primary health post. The health workers there referred Dhangadhi. He was treated for 6 days in the ICU (Intensive Treatment Unit) of Navjeevan Hospital, Dhangadhi. On Tuesday, he was transferred to the ward. His health condition is stable. There is some mental problem. There are bruises and bruises all over the body," Dr. Navjeevan Hospital. Viduramani Dhakal said, "She needs to be treated in the hospital for a few days."

Hasina is not able to get up from bed by herself. Even speaking is difficult. "I can't sleep all night because of the pain in my stomach, I keep on talking," said Sitarani Chaudhary, her mother who is taking care of her. 

If the police had initiated the process after receiving the complaint, Hasina would have avoided further beatings. Yuvan Chaudhary, police inspector of the local police office, claims that the action was not taken forward at the request of the victim. The victim called the police's claims false. 

Only after the second beating, the police arrested four people. Police have arrested Baburam Chaudhary, Manoj Chaudhary, Lahanu Chaudhary and Rupa Chaudhary. Some are absconding. We are under investigation, not much can be said," said Police Inspector Chaudhary.

Bhalmansa Lal Bahadur Chaudhary, who is accused of giving instructions for the beating, has claimed that he himself gave the information to the police.

'After Guruva came to Manoj, all Gotiyars gathered at his house but Heena did not come. That's why I heard that there was a matter of apologizing to him. However, she was beaten up," he said. "No one could save Hasina from being beaten up. Manoj beat me too. I am the one who ran away from there and informed the police. Chaudhary claimed that he had gone to Bhalmansa village-community because he had to go to the village but he had no involvement in the incident. 

'Guruwa' Manoj's brother Prem Chaudhary said that Hasina was beaten up when she talked about apologizing. "When Deuta came and started beating Manoj with a stick, everyone got scared, I had just come from Bhajani at that time," he said.

Bhajan leader Ratan Regmi commented that there had been a heinous crime in the village. According to him, 'Guruwa' came to Manoj for the first time. In the Tharu community of Gaunaiya, there is a rule that on the first day a person receives a 'Guruwa', all the relatives should light a lamp at home and observe a fast. But Regmi said that he got the information from his father that Hasina was beaten up on December 1, accusing her of not lighting the lamp in the house because she was a witch.

After the victim woman reported, her father Sitaram Chaudhary asked me and others for a discussion the next day. But I couldn't go because I was out of bhajani," he said. "Also on the 4th, Guruwa accused Hasina of being a witch and she was brutally beaten up." Even the residents of Gounaiya do not want to open their mouths about it.

The mayor of Bhajani, Cable Chaudhary, reached the hospital on Tuesday and inquired about the condition of the victim. "Even when there was such a big incident, they did not inform me," said City Chief Choudhary, "It is an incident in my ward." Since I am in Kathmandu, I came to know about the incident two days later. The inevitable happened. We will talk to the municipality to bear the cost of treating the victims.'