Dhegani Mahato, a 40-year-old mother of two, was burned alive in Nepal after being declared a witch. The attack occurred Friday in Bagauda, 50 miles south of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. According to police, after a shaman accused her of casting a spell to make a relative sick. She had just finished cleaning a cowshed when she was beaten with sticks, doused with kerosene and set on fire. Her 9-year-old daughter witnessed the attack.
Police have arrested 10 people in connection with the crime: two shamans, five women, and a young boy. “Those arrested have confessed to their crime and will be charged with murder,” said officer Hira Mani Baral. The government has already announced 1 million Nepalese rupees in compensation for Mahato’s family.
Witch hunters in Nepal are