{
  "id": 8028803,
  "title": "Woman branded witch, forced to ‘eat excreta’: Gauhati High Court grants bail to accused",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/woman-branded-witch-forced-to-eat-excreta-gauhati-high-court-grants",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T13:30:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/legal-news/woman-branded-witch-eat-excreta-gauhati-high-court-bail-accused-10882383/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Gauhati High Court has released a man accused of participating in a mob that allegedly subjected a woman to a series of horrific acts after she was labeled a witch. The woman, forced to eat her own excreta and stripped publicly, was dragged across a river by an unnamed individual, according to the informant, who is the daughter of the victim. The court, in its September 15 ruling, noted that the investigation was already complete and a charge-sheet filed, and that the accused had spent over 72 days in custody. The court reasoned that further detention was unnecessary for the trial, granting bail on condition of a Rs 50,000 bond with two sureties. The specific allegation against the petitioner was his act of dragging the woman's daughter by the hand across the river. Both the petitioner and the state were represented during the proceedings.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Gauhati High Court grants bail to accused in witch labeling case",
    "Woman forced to eat excreta and stripped publicly",
    "Bail granted on Rs 50,000 bond with two sureties"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
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        "title": "Court jails South African woman for 25 years for importing 5.75kg of heroin into Nigeria",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/court-jails-south-african-woman-for-25-years-for-importing-5-75kg-of",
        "published": "2026-09-17T11:19:33.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Trust",
        "title": "Court acquits tricycle driver accused of murder",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/court-acquits-tricycle-driver-accused-of-murder",
        "published": "2026-09-17T12:16:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Delhi High Court raps DU, police on violations ahead of DUSU election",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/delhi-high-court-raps-du-police-on-violations-ahead-of-dusu-election",
        "published": "2026-09-17T14:53:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "Karnataka High Court lays down norms for authorities to monitor PG accommodations in Bengaluru",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/karnataka-high-court-lays-down-norms-for-authorities-to-monitor-pg",
        "published": "2026-09-17T15:10:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "High Court bars parties from reporting who voted at polling stations ahead of election",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/high-court-bars-parties-from-reporting-who-voted-at-polling-stations",
        "published": "2026-09-17T16:50:48.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}