Veteran athlete beaten for ‘witchcraft’

Guwahati: A veteran woman athlete Debojani Medhi who is also a gold medalist in javelin throw was subjected to physical torture on suspicion of practicing witchcraft and black magic in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.

The additional superintendent of police of Karbi Anglong Bolin Deori said that two religious gurus responsible for torturing the athlete, Debojani Medhi, in front of hundreds of devotees have been held.

According to reports, several women of a village under Hawaraghat police station had approached a religious guru of Lanka near Nagaon on October 10, asking him to save them from a “ghost” in their village.

Mr Deori said that the guru advised them to hold nam-kirtan (prayers) at the nam-ghar (village temple) for 10 days. He also told the women that the person practicing witchcraft and black magic would surrender at the end of prayers.

Ms Medhi, who is also the resident of the village, was attending the prayers. Witnesses said that on Wednesday, the head of the temple Radha Laskar pounced upon Ms Medhi accusing her of practicing witchcraft.

However, Ms Medhi protested, Laskar sat on her body and tortured her, which was also telecast by some local TV channels.

The onlookers did not intervene to rescue Ms Medhi who kept on screaming for help.

Ms Medhi, 51, mother of three children, went to police after the incident and registered an FIR.

Ms Medhi who was preparing for next tournament of veterans, has been admitted to a hospital for treatment.

She got gold medal in javelin throw event of veterans in Haryana in 2009, silver in 2010 in Tamil Nadu and gold in 2011 at Chandigarh.

Mr Deori, who is supervising the investigation said that they have registered the case under section 120B, 143, 354B and 325 of IPC against the accused.