A Dalit woman was beaten to death by locals of a Bihar village after they suspected that she was practising witchcraft.

Sumitra Devi, 30, of Sant Kabaria village in Purnea was tortured and killed by a mob of villagers. The villagers contended that her witchcraft was responsible for the death of a child. They forced her to exhume the body in an attempt to bring it alive.

Soon after the incident, the police took her to a local government hospital where she was declared dead. The doctors said she died due to a deep injury to her liver and heart.

Purnea district Superintendent of Police Sudhansu Kumar said a complaint was lodged against the villagers. "We have arrested nine people in this connection and we will nab more," Kumar told rediff.com.