Chandrapur: Seven members of two Dalit families are bound to wood polars from the warehouse and beaten merciless by a horde in Wani (Khurd) village in Hilly Jiwti Tehsil on Saturday.
They were attacked for allegedly practicing black magic, and Rontringsan continued for hours until the police came to save them.
Seven people, including Eknath Huke (75), Sahebrao Huke (45), Prayagai Huke (65), Shantabai Kambu (65), Shivraj Kambu (70), Dhammashila Huke (38) and Panchfera Huke (55), was injured in a MOB attack .
Five seriously injured elderly victims had been treated at Chandrapur GMCH, while Dhammashila and Panchfera Huke were released after primary care in the hospital in Jiwti on the same day.
The police did not take action until Sunday night, and began collecting operations only after midnight Sunday.
There was a frightening silence in the village after the spread of severe police deployment as news spread like fire everywhere.
Bitterness has brewed against the family of Kambu and Huke since some time.
The problem turned out worse when four women were allegedly owned by the Spirits (Bhanamati) named two families in Muharram, on Friday.
“The villagers held a meeting on Friday night and hatched plans against us.
A group marched to our house on Saturday morning, asking us to reach the main square of the village, because we were named because of practicing magic by the people owned by the Spirit .
We agreed to leave because we were innocent, “said the victim Prayagai Huke.
He said four women allegedly owned by the spirits made a scene in the square.
They raved and raved nonsense, and attacked some parties and hukes with sticks or threw a handful of land.
This, people said, showing spirits had nailed these people and the hysteria of the horde to take over.
Huke and Kamble family members were then demonstrated.
Then, people tied Shivraj Kamble, his wife Shantabai Kambun and Prayagbai huke to the pole and again struggle black and blue.
Eknath huke was beaten very mercilessly so his right hand was broken.
Wani Village (Khurd) has no telephone coverage.
A young man ran from the village to the coverage area and told the police.
They reached the later hours to save the victims.
Toi has a video that shows women owned by spirits who nailed the victims by throwing land into their faces, and the masses dragged them and beat them mercilessly with kicks and punches.
Shivraj Kambu and Prayagbai Huke claimed that they were afraid of their lives if they returned to their village.
“The villagers want to expel us and maybe kill us.
We demand police protection for our family,” Prosbai said.
Subdivisional police officers (SDO) Sushilkumar nayak claimed the situation was underconed now.
“We have arrested 13 in connection with a horde and more arrest of possibilities,” he said.
Those involved in struggling Huke and Kamble’s family also belonged to the Dalit community, but from different sects, he added.
The arrests were identified as Sugriv Shinde, Kambu Datta, Prakash Kotambe, Santosh Panchal, Dadaro Kotambe, Balaji Kambu, Amol Shinde, Govind Aerekar, Keshav Kambu, Suraj Kambu and Datta Bhalerao.
The four women who named the victims to practice black magic while allegedly having an arwah had been treated at Ward psychiatric at the Chandrapur GMCH.
These women can be arrested because they come out, said the source.
SP Arvind Salve also visits the village.
A team of Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti led by Anil Dahegaonkar visited the village and held a meeting to create awareness on Monday.
Enlightened people about superstition and explain that there is no black magic or ownership of the Spirit.
“Some people have hallucinations and delusions, go into conditions such as trance, which people feel ownership by the Spirit or Dewi.
Therefore, whatever they say during this trance is considered the words of the Spirit or Dewi,” explained Dahegaonar .
He explained to the woman who owned the naming and hukes naming in Muharram created mass hysteria.
“Even when we held a conscious meeting, these women entered the trance.
We highly recommend their psychiatric care,” he said.
Dahegaononkar underlines the need for strong awareness among people and demands that the government, which has issued a law in this matter, must take the initiative to create awareness after the incident.