Police arrested four people on December 19, 2025, for allegedly subjecting Premkala Rokaya, 21, of Birendranagar Municipality-12 to inhumane treatment and torture, accusing her of being a ‘witch.’
Those arrested include Bandana Bohara, 21of Birendranagar Municipality-12, Rita Budha, 20, from the same area, Jai Bahadur Rokaya, 21, and Anita Bohara, 18. The police stated that all the accused are permanent residents of Tila Rural Municipality–2, Jumla.
“They themselves acted as shamans and performed acts such as hitting Premkala’s body with rice and branding various parts of her body with hot pans. Based on the victim’s complaint, we have arrested them,” said SP Sudhirraj Shahi of the District Police Office, Surkhet.
The victim filed a complaint at the District Police Office, Surkhet, on Poush 5. She received medical treatment at the Provincial Hospital on the same day.