Once branded a witch, Savitri Munda now fights against witch-hunting

Once ostracised as a ‘dain’ (witch) in her village, Savitri Munda of Kochbong in Namkom has transformed her experience into a mission to protect other women facing similar persecution. She has so far prevented over 20 women in Ranchi, Khunti and Gumla from being branded as witches.Now in her early 40s, Savitri was branded a witch nearly a decade ago after two of her husband’s cousins died in separate road accidents. Following the incidents, villagers began accusing her entire family of practising witchcraft. A local ‘witch doctor’ allegedly demanded Rs 70,000 to “free” her from the supposed evil spirit. When she refused to pay, the accusations intensified and she was declared a witch.Recalling the ordeal, Savitri said the harassment deeply affected her family. “My husband suffered such severe mental trauma that he had to be admitted to Rinpas (Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry & Allied Sciences) for treatment,” she said.Savitri owns around 13 acres of land in the village and said property disputes were the real motive behind the allegations. “My distant relatives want to grab my land. I later found out they had already finalised a deal with land mafias and were trying to drive me out so they could sell it,” she alleged.Her situation began to improve after the intervention of the Association for Social and Human Awareness (ASHA), a social organisation working against witch-hunting and gender-based violence. With their support, the harassment gradually reduced, and Savitri rebuilt her life.Today, she runs a successful pig farming business to support her family. Savitri has also emerged as a vocal advocate against witch-hunting. Working closely with ASHA and local authorities, she intervenes in cases where women are branded as witches, offering them protection and support.She participates in village panchayat meetings across the state when cases of witch-branding surface and speaks at workshops and seminars nationwide to raise awareness about the realities of witch-hunting.“I have made it my life’s mission to help women who are suffering the way I did. Witch-hunting is an evil practice, often used to target vulnerable women. I will not allow others to face the same fate,” she said.