BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Odisha government to ensure that people do not face the predicament of sorcery and witchcraft activities in future.
Acting on a petition filed by lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the apex human rights panel on Friday asked the chief secretary and DGP to take strict action in accordance with law against the errant persons, who indulge in witchcraft activities, in order to ensure such activities do not go unpunished.
They have also been asked to conduct awareness campaigns round the year to prevent the menace of witchcraft and furnish an action taken report in this regard within two weeks.
Tripathy alleged Odisha has been continuously reporting murders, tortures and heinous crimes related to witchcraft despite the enactment of the Prevention of Witch-Hunting Act, 2013. The root cause of these barbaric acts is negligence on part of the officials in implementing the act scrupulously. Even police officials avoid inserting the provisions of the act in the FIRs, he said.
Earlier, pursuant to the directions of the NHRC, the ADGP HRPC had submitted a report stating that all districts, SPs and DCPs have been directed to take steps to ensure compensation/rehabilitation of the next of kin of the victims and persuade them to apply for welfare schemes of government.