Woman Beaten to Death After Being Accused of Black Magic by Own Family
Jashpur, March 10, 2026 — In a chilling case of superstition turning fatal, a 48-year-old woman was brutally murdered by her husband, his second wife, and two locals in Chhattisgarh’s tribal-dominated Jashpur district. The perpetrators accused the victim of practicing witchcraft, blaming her for a series of family misfortunes.
The victim, identified as Goidi Bai (48) from Gatti Mahua village, was found dead under highly suspicious circumstances. Following an investigation, police arrested her husband Thupan Ram (45), his second wife Phula Bai (48), and local residents Sunil Ram (23) and his wife Suranti Bai (22).
A Calculated Murder Over Superstition
The gruesome crime came to light on March 6 when the victim’s younger brother, Sahlu Ram, approached the Sanna police station reporting that his sister had died suspiciously. Responding authorities found the victim’s body placed on a bed and covered with a blanket, but noticed prominent bloodstains and severe injury marks on the premises. A subsequent autopsy confirmed she had been beaten to death with a hard, blunt object.
During interrogation, the disturbing sequence of events was revealed. Police stated that on the afternoon of March 5, a heated physical altercation broke out between Goidi Bai and her husband’s second wife, Phula Bai.
Following the fight, Thupan Ram deceitfully lured Goidi Bai to a nearby hut where the other three accused were waiting. As the group consumed hadiya—a traditional, locally brewed liquor—the confrontation escalated. Sunil Ram reportedly accused Goidi Bai of being a witch, blaming her “black magic” for his family’s inability to conceive a child and his father’s recent cancer diagnosis.
Cover-up and Arrests
Fueled by superstition and anger, the four individuals collectively assaulted Goidi Bai, fatally striking her. In a desperate bid to cover up the crime, the perpetrators carried her lifeless body back to her house, tucked her into bed, and covered her with a blanket to make it appear as a natural death.
The police have officially registered a case against all four accused under Sections 103(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The arrests highlight the ongoing, tragic consequences of witchcraft accusations and superstitions that still plague various rural pockets of the state.
