Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Monday took suo motu cognizance of the Deoghar stampede in which 11 people were killed, as well as of the killing of five women by villagers after branding them witches.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Birendra Singh issued notice to the state government, seeking its reply in two weeks, said lawyer Subodh Dubey.
On Monday, 11 people died and over 50 were injured in a stampede in Deoghar district when they arrived to offer prayers at the famous Baba Baidhyanath Shiva temple.
On Saturday, five women were allegedly picked up from their houses, paraded naked and brutally beaten to death in Mandar on the outskirts of Ranchi.
The women were branded witches and accused of causing death of children in the village. Police have arrested 27 people. Some of the accused are college students.
