Bihar woman branded witch, beaten to death

Bihar, India - A Dalit woman in a Bihar village was Monday tortured to death after being accused of killing a child by witchcraft, police said.

Police said Sumitra Devi, in her 30s, was forced to exhume the child's body and asked to bring it to life in Sant Kabaria village of Purnea district.

She was humiliated and beaten up by a mob of angry villagers when she failed.

Purnea District Superintendent of Police Sudhansu Kumar told IANS over telephone that nine people were arrested.

"Sumitra was forced to exhume the body and keep it on her lap for about six hours. Villagers got angry when she failed to bring the child back to life," an official said.

Doctors at a government hospital suspected that she died of deep injuries in the liver and heart.

"We have arrested nine people and raids are being conducted to nab more," Kumar said, adding that the inaction of the local police would also be probed. "We will spare nobody."

Police said a 'tantrik' had blamed Sumitra for the death of two other children as well.