The beating up of a woman and tonsuring hear head at Dalchak Dumaria village on Thursday on charges of practicing witchcraft created an uproar in the Bihar Assembly on Friday with the opposition RJD raising the issue.

Showing reports that appeared in a section of press in Bihar during the zero-hour, senior RJD MLA and former state minister Shyam Razak alleged that women were also not safe under the present regime.

"Women are being subjected to torture by feudal forces represented by the present dispensation," Rajak charged as his party colleagues raised  "anti-government" slogans demanding action against the policemen who allegedly failed to prevent the incident.

Rajak alleged that the feudal forces were involved in the incident.

Sensing the mood of the agitated MLAs, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he had taken note of the incident and the government informed the House about the details relating to the incident.

Suspecting the woman of practising black magic, a villager mercilessly beat up the woman faith healer and tonsured her  head in Adalchak Dumaria village.

45-year-old Lalpari Devi of village Naubatpur village in Patna had yesterday gone to Adalchak village for treating one Manorama Rai, who was suffering from a mental ailment, sources said.

As Manorama's condition deteriorated during treatment, her husband Ramayodhya Rai got angry with Lalpari and tied her
to a tree with support of his neighbours and mercilessly beat her up.

He then tonsured her head and smeared her face with limestone. Police soon reached the scene and rescued Pari. She was admitted to a hospital from where she was discharged on Friday.