Accused Witch Beaten In Eastern India

PATNA, India -- A woman accused of practicing witchcraft in easternIndia was tied to a tree and beaten by enraged villagers, police saidFriday.

Lalpari Devi was attacked Wednesday in a village on the outskirts ofPatna, the capital of Bihar state, local police official Nishant Tiwarytold The Associated Press.

Tiwary said Devi claimed to be a faith healer and was treating amentally ill woman in the village. When the woman attempted to commitsuicide, Devi was attacked by angry villagers, Tiwary said.

He said Devi was tied to a tree with rope and repeatedly beaten. Herhair was then cut off and she was paraded through the village, Tiwarysaid. A video of the attack was aired Friday by New Delhi Television.

Ram Ayodhya Rai, the mentally ill woman's husband, was arrested andcharged with assault, Tiwari said. He added that police have started aninvestigation to find out how many other villagers were involved in theassault.

Devi is being investigated for fraud, Tiwary said.

Rural areas in India remain deeply superstitious, despite the country'seconomic progress in recent years. Many people believe in black magicand dozens of people are beaten or killed every year for practicingwitchcraft.