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On August 15, a preliminary on-site report was published regarding an incident of beating and forced divorce in Pipra Rural Municipality-3, Pipra village. The incident involved allegations of witchcraft against a woman named Kajal Das, and the report sheds light on the ordeal she went through.

According to the report, 32-year-old Kajal Das was accused of witchcraft by her husband Binod Das and his second wife Souta Shiladevi Das. Kajal Das was reportedly beaten, forced to divorce, and subsequently sent to a witchdoctor named Dinesh Yadav for exorcism. She was held captive in a temple for ten days, where she was subjected to various forms of abuse, including being taken to a cemetery and forced to sacrifice pigeons.

The report states that Kajal Das filed a complaint with the district police office on August 4 after the intervention of various organizations, including INSEC (Informal Sector Service Center) and WOREC. Her husband and son-in-law were arrested in connection with the incident, but the witchdoctor Dinesh Yadav is reported to be absconding.

The report emphasizes the need for vigilance by the police administration to identify and address cases of violence against women on the basis of witchcraft allegations. It calls for proper investigation, punishment for the culprits, and ensuring the peace, security, treatment, and care of the victims. The incident highlights the broader issue of harassment faced by women in cases of witchcraft allegations in the Madhes Province of Nepal.

A team including representatives from INSEC, WOREC INSEC Madhes Province Coordinator Raju Paswan, program focal person Barun Basyal, WOREC Mahottari coordinator Bina Singh, Third Alliance Province Coordinator Arjun Sah, Media Person Ranjan Bhandari and Human Rehabilitation Center Chairperson Leela Diyali participated in the team.

INSEC Madesh Province, Janakpurdham