DHANGADHI: The District Court, Kailali has slapped a five-year prison sentence and Rs 100,000 as fine to a self-proclaimed shaman, Ram Bahadur Chaudhary alias Bhole Baba who tortured women on the pretext of witchcraft.

According to Court Registrar Indra Bahadur Kathayat, a single bench of District Judge Parshuram Bhattarai passed down a verdict to this effect.

Likewise, the court has handed over one-year prison sentence to Chaudhary’s aide Kismati Chaudhary and six-month sentence to Smarika Chaudhary. However, the court acquitted three others - Chanak Lal Chaudhary, Ved Prakash Chaudhary and Sita Rani Chaudhary - accused of aiding Chaudhary.

Radha Chaudhary (20) of Deukali in Ghodaghodi Municipality-5, Kailali was beaten black and blue for hours by Chaudhary and his aides on the charge of practising witchcraft on March 8, 2018 (International Women’s Day).

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