A woman was thrashed indiscriminately for ‘practising witchcraft’ at Dhireshwornath Municipality in Dhanusha yesterday night. Local Kari Chaudhary, 50, Prahlad Chaudhary, 24, Sangita Chaudhary and Chanda Devi Chaudhary thrashed Sibo Devi Mahara, 50, of the municipality. They had thrashed the woman on the road while she was returning home from a paddy field. The Chaudhary family is said to be Mahara’s neighbours. They accused her of casting a black spell on Sarita Chaudhary. Some of the villagers had informed police after the Chaudhary family tried to feed Mahara human faeces. Mahara was critically injured in the incident and has been receiving treatment at Janakpur Zonal Hospital. “The Chaudhary family kicked and punched me arbitrarily,” she said in tears, adding that police were yet to arrest the culprits. According to locals, Kari Chaudhary’s daughter Sarita had married a person at Jahadi in Siraha one year ago. Sarita had informed her mother’s side of the family that Mahara cast a black spell on her after her marriage. Local Durga Pandit said that the Chaudhary family had planned to thrash Mahara based on Sarita’s accusations. The victim had filed a case at Area Police Office, Sakhuwa, Mahendranagar immediately after the incident. “But police are yet to arrest and take action against the culprits,” said Mahara. ASI Netra Karki said police were searching for the perpetrators. “Investigation is underway,” said Karki. A version of this article appears in print on 05 Jul 2015 of The Himalayan Times.