In the Middle Ages when a calamity took place, often some women were accused of causing that calamity by practising witchcraft, and were burnt alive as witches ( called ‘chudail’ or ‘daayan’in india ).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft
Witches were persecuted all over Europe in the Middle Ages, as it was believed they had dealings with the Devil.
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https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-witches
Shakespeare’s play Macbeth begins with a scene showing 3 witches, who are a portent of the troubles to come.
Even as late as 1692 and 1693 many women were executed on the charge of being witches following the well known Salem Witches Trials in Massachusetts, USA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_witch_trials
One would have thought that belief in witches and witchcraft, like belief in angels, ghosts, fairies and vampires, has become extinct in the world, after the coming of modern science, The Age of Reason and The Enlightenment.
But no, it very much continues in India even today, as is evident from the recent burning alive of 5 persons, 3 of them women, for practising witchcraft in Purnea district of Bihar on 6th July, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orP6P7HWnmc&list=RDNSorP6P7HWnmc&start_radio=1
The incident in Purnea is not exceptional or unique. According to the NCRB ( National Crime Records Bureau of India ) between 2000 and 2016 about two thousand five hundred women in India have been burnt as witches
75,000 women in the state of Bihar are living under threat of being branded as witches and killed
Witch hunts are still prevalent in large parts of India
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_hunts_in_India
Article 51A(h) of the Indian Constitution states that it is the duty of every citizen ” to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform ”, and laws have been made in several states in India to stamp out superstitions such as belief in witchcraft and black magic ( though there is no all India law ).
https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anti-superstition-laws-in-india
However, laws, unless effectively implemented, are only pieces of paper, and the ground realities may be very different.
The truth is that there are powerful political interests which promote superstitions as being part of religion, and those who criticise such superstitions in India and seek to promote rationalism may even have to pay with their lives e.g. Narendra Dabholkar, Gauri Lankesh, Govind Pansare, and Prof Kalburgi
‘Babas’ who propagate superstitions often get strong support of politicians who thrive on polarising society, and so does the media propagating astrology, religious bigotry, and unscientific ideas etc, as pointed out by the eminent Indian journalist Ravish Kumar
Only a mighty united long drawn people’s struggle, led by modern minded leaders, culminating in a historical people’s revolution, can change the backward mindsets of most of our people, and modernise the country
https://justicekatju.com/the-role-of-intellectuals-in-india-6f9be84c0009
https://indicanews.com/justice-markandey-katju-changing-peoples-mindsets
https://justicekatju.com/changing-peoples-mindsets-e51f5c176cca
Till then, belief in witches and superstitions in a large number of our people will continue.
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