Tulasa said she was severely beaten by her neighbours Ganga Bahadur Darji and his wife Bimala on October on charge of practicing witchcraft. "They (Darji couple) tried to kill me," she claimed.

Tulasa lives with her seven-year-old granddaughter. Her husband is no more.

Bhagawati Pandey, daughter of Tulasa, who has been living in India and arrived home recently, said that Darji couple threw away all materials used to offer puja. "They then smashed mother's (Tulasa) forehead in a tree and stripped her off," she said.

She said that local people were remained mute spectators as the incident occurred, adding that one Ganga Bahadur threatened to kill locals with a khukuri in his hand. Bhagawati. She rued of having no one in the village to speak in favour of her mother.

According to Tulasa, she lives in constant fear due to possible attack. Tulasa, who sustained injuries in her back, womb and head, received treatment in Rampur Hospital, and is on medications, locals said.

The Women and Children Office has provided Tulasa with Rs 5,000 for treatment. Police have arrested Ganga Bahadur and his wife Bimala. Deputy Superintendent of Police Shiva Kumar Shrestha said they are investigating into the matter.

In a similar incident in Rajbiraj, a Muslim woman of Barahipirpur VDC in Saptari has reportedly been thrashed by her neighbours on the charge of practicing witchcraft. Victim Sahida Khatun, who is receiving treatment in Gajendra Narayan Singh Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital in Rajbiraj, said from the hospital bed that her neighbours Mohammad Isarafil and Mohammad Habib dragged her from her house before severely beating her, accusing her of making Isarafil's son ill by practicing a spell. Police said that they are searching for the perpetrators.