Nephew murders quot;witchquot;

While indicating the grip of superstition and bhagats witch doctors on the rural mind, the incident also had other villagers taking up for the women, maintaining that there was nothing 8220;supernatural8221; about them.

According to sources, relations between the two branches of the family 8212; fishermen by trade and residents of Vansva village in Choriyasi taluka 8212; had begun souring since Rathod married one Hansa eight months ago. A couple of months after the wedding, Hansa reportedly began behaving 8220;abnormally8221;. A bhagat pronounced that she had been 8220;possessed8221; by a demon at the command of Gangaben and Liliben.

Frequent quarrels between Rathod and the two women apparently climaxed in the murder of Saturday night.

Incidentally, Hansa reportedly returned to 8220;normal8221; after visiting the bhagat. But nothing shakes Rathod8217;s conviction that 8220;they had to be taken care of8221;. Hansa joins in, 8220;They were witches. They are now responsible for my husband8217;s arrest8221;.

Says village sarpanch Amrut Prabhu Patel, 8220;This is a question of blind faith. Until now there was no question of Gangaben8217;s being a witch8221;. But adds Thakore Patel, a grocer familiar with the Rathods for years, 8220;Such things are not unknown here8221;.