Bhubaneswar: The State Commission for Women has decided to start an awareness drive in tribal-dominated districts of the state against the practice of witchcraft. According to official statistics of the state crime branch, 99 cases related to witchcraft were registered in the state in 2017 out of which Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Nabarangpur accounted for 70 per cent.

Though the state government promulgated the Odisha Prevention of Witch Hunting Act in 2013 to check the practice, statistics revealed the number of cases increased in the past three years. One of the shocking incidents related to witchcraft last year was reported from Jharsuguda when two college girls allegedly killed another girl to cure her illness. The women commission conducted a two-day national convention on emerging challenges of violence against women in Bhubaneswar in which discussions were held to prevent incidents of witchcraft practice. "Most of these incidents took place due to lack of education. We have been taking such cases seriously and NGOs and local panchayat members will be engaged to educate tribal people ," said commission chairperson Lopamudra Buxipatra.

Additional director general of police, crime branch, Santosh Kumar Upadhyay said: . "The police has been asked to take stringent action against such incidents in vulnerable districts. We have also been conducting awareness programmes for strict implementation of the act," said Upadhyay.