BARIPADA: Rapid Response Team (RRT) will be set up in Odisha's tribal dominated Mayurbhanj district to tackle cases of witch hunting, a top district official has said.
The district had witnessed 92 cases of witchcraft and sorcery related offences during last five years, District Collector Surendra Kumar Meena said.
To tackle the cases of witch hunting the Rapid Response Team would work in block level, Meena said.
The process of formation of RRTs would be completed by January 15 and at least 26 RRTs would be set up with the Block Development Officer (BDO) as head, the collector said.
The RRTs will comprise child development programme officer, medical officer, block education officer, welfare extension officer, inspector in charge of police station, Nehru Yuva Kendra volunteer, one office bearer of block level federation of self help groups, he said.
The children, women and elderly persons were mostly victims of the witchcraft practice.
The teams would take steps to prevent any such types of incidents in remote tribal villages and for minimising offences in collaboration with local police and other agencies besides making awareness activities.