Hyderabad, Oct 4 (IANS): In a horrific incident, a woman was burnt to death by unidentified persons on suspicion of practising black magic in Telangana's Medak district.

According to police, the woman was beaten up and set ablaze at her residence in Katrial village of Ramayampet Mandal late on Thursday night.

The assailants poured petrol on the woman, identified as D. Muttava, and set her afire. Her son and daughter-in-law ran out of the house in panic. Hearing the cries, neighbours rushed to the house and doused the fire. She succumbed while being shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad.

Police shifted the body to Ramayampet Hospital and took up investigations.

A police officer said they have arrested three of the accused. The victim's son said six people were involved in the attack.

A relative of the accused had taken ill and they blamed Muttava for this.

A few districts of Telangana witnessed many incidents in the past in which people suspected to be practising 'Bhanamati' (a form of black magic) were burnt alive or hacked to death. In most of the cases, the victims were women. They were either murdered, paraded naked or physically abused.

The awareness campaign conducted by police over the last two decades led to a drop in the number of such cases but has not eliminated the menace.

In December 2022, a man and his two sons were brutally hacked to death by a group of people who suspected them to be practising black magic.

The incident occurred during a meeting of the Yerukala community at Tarakram Nagar in Jagtial district.

Police in parts of Telangana still use cultural troupes called 'kalabrundam' in rural areas to create awareness among people against black magic. Through these cultural programmes, they try to drive home the message that people should shed superstitious beliefs and not fall into the trap of 'tantriks' (occult practitioners).

People are also urged not to suspect black magic for health, financial or other problems.