Witchcraft and Witch Hunting Superstitious Beliefs In India A Judicial Analysis

Abstract

Witch-craft practices, witch-trials and witch-hunts have been in existence ever since early times in several countries. Although studies pertaining to the spatial and temporal variability of these aspects has been done at the international, national as well as the state level, works detailing upon certain socio-legal factors, which might have some bearing upon the phenomena at large are scarce. On one hand, as the number of incidents seems to be on the rise, measures for curbing the menace has been considered to be inadequate. newlineThe present work was undertaken with five-fold objectives in mind, viz. to examine the witch-craft practice, witch-craft accusations, witch-trials and witch-hunting phenomena in an international as well as national perspective, to identify the spatial and temporal variability of the various cases within India, to understand the nature and extent of the problem within the various communities in India to interpret and analyze the causes leading to the problem within the such communities, to examine the various governmental and nongovernmental initiatives in tackling the phenomena, and to suggest appropriate measures to curb down the menace. Witch-hunts seem to appear in dramatic outbursts; they are not a regular feature of social life. A community seems to suddenly find itself infested with all sorts of subversive elements which pose a threat to the collectivity as a whole. newline newline