Page 14 - auatraveller

Indian villagers Russia considers
behead woman ban on flower
imports from
accused of Netherlands
witchcraft

AN elderly Indian woman accused of practising witchcraft has RUSSIAN agricultural watchdog Rosselk-

been stripped naked and beheaded by villagers in the state of hoznadzor may ban flower imports from the
Assam, police say. Netherlands due to the presence of quaran-
tined organisms in shipments.
They said that 63-year-old Purni Orang had been blamed for ill- Rosselkhoznadzor chief Sergei Dankvert
ness in the tribal settlement. Seven people, including two women, made the statement at a meeting with the
have been arrested over her killing. Colombian ambassador to Russia in Moscow
on Tuesday.
Police in Assam say nearly 90 people, mostly women, have been The probability that the ban will be imposed
beheaded, burnt alive or stabbed to death after such accusations is high, and that might have an economic
over the last six years. impact on Colombia since its flowers are
shipped to Russia via the Nether-
Branding women as witches is particularly prevalent among tribal lands, Interfax quoted Dankvert
communities and tea plantation workers in the state. as saying.
People in a village in Sonitpur district were falling sick, and some Russia banned most Western food
of them “blamed Purni Orang for their condition”, local police imports from August 2014 in reac-
official Samad Hussain told BBC Hindi. tion to Western sanctions over
Moscow’s role in the Ukraine cri-
“After that they branded her a sis. Moscow is also considering
witch and killed her,” more import curbs on Western
goods, including flowers,
Mr Hussain said. In October, an Indian athlete Debjani Bora was confectionery and canned
severely beaten after being branded a witch in Assam. fish products and flow-
ers, the Agriculture
Experts say superstitious beliefs are behind some of these attacks, Ministry said in June.
but there are occasions when people - especially widows - are
targeted for their land and property. Wednesday, July 22 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER

14 INTERNATIONAL