Lynching of deranged woman linked to braid choppings, claim villagers in Uttar Pradesh

A 62-year-old mentally challenged woman, who was beaten to death here, was suspected by the villagers to be a witch who cuts off braids, the police said today.

The incident occurred Tuesday night when Maan Devi went outside her house to relieve herself. She lost her way in the darkness and reached a nearby colony, they said yesterday.

A girl sleeping outside her house got scared on seeing Devi, who was wearing a white saree, and raised alarm, the police had said.

Soon locals gathered at the spot suspecting Devi was a witch and started beating her up, the police said, adding that by the time some women identified her, she was severely injured.

Her family members rushed her to an Agra hospital from where she was released after first-aid but she died on the way home.

Inspector D P Sharma of Doki police station had said the woman was mentally-challenged. She received an injury on her head.

The body was sent for postmortem, he had said, adding a case of murder has been registered against two persons in the matter.

Villagers told the police that a number of braid chopping incidents have been reported recently. This has created fear in people's mind and anybody "looking suspicious could be targeted, as had happened in several cases".