Dikhyaa Mohanty 
As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, 177 people were killed in witch-hunting and related crimes between 2008 and 2013 in Odisha. After Jharkhand, Odisha ranked second in witch-hunting. The NCRB data reveals that as many as 26 individuals were killed in Odisha over suspicion of allegedly practising witchcraft in 2015.
According to the reports, in comparison to 83 cases in 2016 and 58 cases in 2015, Odisha reported 99 cases of witch-hunting in 2017. As per the NCRB data, in 2019, Odisha witnessed 19 witchcraft-related deaths and 102 deaths in India. But sadly, many cases have gone unreported and escaped public glare. The tribal-dominated districts like Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Ganjam, Sundargarh, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Koraput have a predominantly high number of witch hunting cases.
Further the report added that the State government has proposed The Odisha Prevention And Prohibition Of Witch Branding And Hunting Act, 2021, which has the following provisions for the perpetrators- Whoever, (i) identifies, calls, discriminates, stigmatizes, defames or accuses either by words, signs, indications, conducts, actions or any other manner, any person as a witch, (ii) instigates or aids or abets any such acts mentioned in clause (i) above, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but can extend up to a term of five years and with fine, which shall not be less than Rs. 1,00,000/- but which may extend to Rs. 5,00,000/.
Punishment for witch doctor
(i)Whoever- claims that s/he has supernatural or magical power to control or cure a witch shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to seven years or with fine which shall not be less than Rs 1,00,000/- or with both; (ii) performs any ritual purportedly to free a woman from evil spirit shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to seven years or with fine which shall not be less than Rs 1, 00,000/- or with both; (iii) causes a witch doctor to perform any ritual purportedly to free a woman from evil spirit shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to seven years or with fine which shall not be less than Rs 1,00,000/- or with both.
