Burdwan, Nov. 10: A joint block development officer in Burdwan has been accused of supporting villagers who had branded a woman a witch and asked her to pay Rs 10,000 so that they could perform a ritual to "exorcise" her.

The joint BDO, Bidyutbaran Biswas, has been showcaused following a directive from district magistrate Saumitra Mohan.

"Questions have been raised on the role of the joint BDO in connection with an incident in the village. The DM instructed me to serve a showcause notice on the joint BDO," sub-divisional officer Mufti Mohammad Shamim Saukat said today.

The 31-year-old woman, who works at a private hospital on the outskirts of Burdwan town, was branded a witch last month by a section of villagers. They held her responsible for the deaths of 10 persons who drowned in a local pond over the past two years.

"On October 12, some villagers came to my house and asked me to go to a nearby club. There, they accused me of being a witch and held me responsible for the deaths of the 10 persons. They wanted to hold a yajna to exorcise me and asked me to pay Rs 10,000 for it," the woman, whose husband is a farmer, said.

The woman said she pleaded with the villagers to spare her because she did not have that much money.

"They slapped, punched and kicked me. I got so scared that I agreed to pay them Rs 4,000. I gave them the money the next day. A week later, they called an exorcist and held a yajna. They beat me with a broom and held a burning torch so close to my face that I suffered burns," the woman said.

The next day, she went to the joint BDO and narrated what had happened.

"The joint BDO said the villagers had already informed him about me. He said he would listen to the villagers and asked me to pay the remaining Rs 6,000. I then lodged a police complaint against the exorcist and the others," she said.

Joint BDO Biswas said: "I have received the showcause notice. I will reply to it."

The police have arrested the exorcist, who is a woman, and four other villagers and charged them with attempt to murder. The arrested persons are in judicial custody.

"I was again called to the club and beaten up because I had lodged the complaint. The villagers threatened me with dire consequences if I did not withdraw it," said the woman, who and her husband have since been staying with a relative.

The chairperson of the state women's commission, Sunanda Mukherjee, met the woman at her relative's house today and escorted her home.

"I have lodged a complaint with the district magistrate. She is in a state of shock and would require medical attention," Mukherjee said.

The additional superintendent of police (headquarters), Dyutiman Bhattacharya, said: "We have helped the woman return home. We will provide protection to her."

'Feud' murder

A 43-year-old suspected Trinamul Congress worker was hacked to death allegedly by a group of persons belonging to a rival faction in Burdwan's Ketugram this afternoon.

The police said Mohammad Sheikh's family members had lodged a complaint naming nine persons.

No arrests had been reported till late this evening. Local Trinamul leaders denied those involved in the murder were party workers.