A villager in Jharkhand accused a woman of being a witch, beheaded her with a spade, and then rode around on his bicycle brandishing her severed skull, police officials said.
The incident took place in Bazara village, about 45 km away from Ranchi on Tuesday. Murder accused Budhu Bhagat already has a criminal background. Bhagat, who is now absconding, was apparently returning to the village when he encountered the victim Telia Oraon, who was going to her field for farming. The two had an argument after which Bhagat called her a witch and beheaded her.
He is then said to have audaciously paraded the head in the village and later thrown it in a field. The police have restored the body of the woman. In another incident on the same day, a 70-year-old-woman was beaten up by villagers, who also tried to set her aflame after pouring oil on to her.
Mutaira Devi, a resident of Ranchi's Targadi village, was also accused of witchcraft. Devi's life was saved after the police intervened. No complaint has been lodged.
The killing of women on charges of being witches is common in Jharkhand. Around 600 women have been killed in the past six years. Police said low conviction rates and high levels of superstition in rural areas fuelled the killings.