Hazaribagh May 6: She was once branded a witch, and ostracised. Today, she is one of the most respected women in the village.

For villagers of Daru, 15 km from here, the dayan (witch) has become a messiah.

Fuleshwari Devi, 45, popularly known as “Didiji”, has braved hardships to gain the respect of the villagers.

In 1996, when Fuleshwari Devi was branded a witch she did not leave the village but decided to hit back. And she did retaliate, through social work and won the hearts of the villagers.

Though Fuleshwari was illiterate, it did not stop her from setting up three organisations for the welfare of the villagers. She also became a key member of the panchayat.

In 1996, when a boy died, a group of villagers held Fuleshwari responsible for the death. The boy was Fuleshwari’s relative’s son. Sources said since Fuleshwari’s husband, who is an employee of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, was away in Calcutta, the villagers found her a soft target.

Sources said Fuleshwari’s relative incited the villagers to brand her a witch since they wanted to grab a piece of land, which belonged to her. The relatives wanted to cash in on the death of the boy, sources alleged.

After the incident, Fuleshwari went to Calcutta but only to return after a few days to fight for justice.

When the villagers made attempts to chase her away, Prerna Niketan, an NGO, came to her rescue.

The NGO, with the help of district officials, provided her an accommodation under the Indira Awaas Yojna project. Fuleshwari said atrocities inflicted by a section of the villagers spurred her to fight for justice.

Fuleshwari realised that economic independence was needed to gain respectability. She began selling sarees in the haat despite opposition from some villagers. Fuleshwari also started to create awareness among village women regarding healthcare and personal savings.

After Fuleshwari won friends and admirers, she formed a group of youngsters to fight against witch-hunting. Her efforts bore fruit and she formed Daru Shanti Mahila Mandal to check atrocities on women.

Fuleshwari’s three organisations — Durga Mahila Mandal, Shanti Mahila Mandal and Youth Group — are helping villagers to solve their problems.