BHOPAL: A tribal couple was allegedly tied to a tree and beaten up by a group of villagers on the suspicion that they practised witchcraft in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. Villagers also forced faeces into their mouths.

The incident was reported from Shivpuri’s Sarvani village area . Three persons have been arrested in this regard. According to police, a woman named Aarti had died of critical illness on October 20. Her father-in-law Angad Singh attributed the death to evil designs of his neighbour Prem Singh .

Angad and his two songs dragged Prem Singh out of his house, tied him to a tree, thrashed him and forced to eat the dirt. When his wife protested, the accused also beat her up after tying her to the tree in the presence of several people and forced faeces into her mouth. They thrashed them till some elderly people in their village intervened and rescued them. Later Prem Singh went to the police station and got Angad and his sons arrested.

Many people of Sarvani village believe that Prem Singh is responsible for Aarti’s death and the police are trying to convince them unsuccessfully to shun the notions of black magic.

In the FIR, Prem Singh alleged that three villagers tied him and his wife to a tree and thrashed him, causing serious injuries. The accused have been booked under various sections.

