Godda, July 5: A mob of “relatives” and villagers lynched yet another woman here, accusing her to be a witch.

The latest victim to witch-hunting was 60-year-old Malo Devi in Poraiyahat police station area. This was the third such case reported this week, with the earlier cases reported from Pathargama.

The son of the victim, Fakira, in his complaint to the police, alleged that his cousin, Anuplal, and other members of his family accused the woman of practising black magic and subsequently beat her to death.

The immediate provocation was the illness of a child in the family, who could not be cured despite medicines prescribed by doctors. Fakira, who was away in search of work, alleged that the lynching took place in public view in Devgandha village.

As in earlier cases, though, police suspect land-related disputes to be the main cause. The two women, who were burnt alive in Mahuasol and Auriyatand villages after being sentenced by a traditional tribal court for allegedly practising black magic, were also victims of the diabolical but familiar plot. Malo Devi, too, is believed to have been killed in a bid to usurp land.

Tribal societies are matriarchal and the women have traditionally enjoyed the rights of inheritance and land rights.

The main accused, Anuplal, was arrested by the police but others escaped, said Poraiyahat police.

The accused in the earlier cases too are absconding, the police acknowledged and claimed that a manhunt was on to nab them. A police officer admitted that not a single accused in the earlier cases has been arrested so far.

An embarrassed and agitated JMM legislator, Prashant Kumar, blamed poor development work, illiteracy and poverty for the superstitious belief in black magic and witchcraft.

Kumar, who is camping at Poraiyahat, blamed successive governments for neglecting the region. Exploitation for a century and more, he declared rhetorically, were taking a toll in Santhal Pargana.