Jamshedpur: Premchand, the legendary social activist who dedicated his life to unshackling women from the chains of superstition in Bihar and Jharkhand, has passed away. After a 25-day battle for life at Tata Main Hospital (TMH), the veteran reformer breathed his last at 9:00 AM on Friday. With his demise, society has lost a warrior who sacrificed a lot to erase the stigma associated with the word ‘witch’ (Dayan).
From Emergency to Jamshedpur: A Journey of Struggle
Premchand’s life story was nothing short of a cinematic epic. Born in Kudra, Sasaram (Bihar), he moved to Varanasi for higher education, where he joined the Emergency movement. With the police on his trail, he fled to Jamshedpur in disguise. Initially joining the Jharkhand statehood movement under a pseudonym, he eventually found his true calling in social reform.
The Karandih Incident: A Turning Point
In 1991, a horrific incident in Karandih—where a father and son were murdered over witchcraft allegations and a woman was banished from the village—shook him to his core. Unable to remain a silent spectator, he launched a movement against this deep-rooted social evil. Since then, his crusade against the exploitation of women in the name of superstition remained relentless.
The Legal Battle and Victory
Leading the Free Legal Aid Committee, Premchand took the issue to the Human Rights Commission. Despite an initial setback where a commission report denied the existence of the practice, he did not lose heart. In 1995, following the brutal massacre of seven family members in Kuchai, his fight reached a decisive turning point with the support of the then Deputy Commissioner of Singhbhum, Amit Khare.
A Historic Legacy: The 1999 Act
The crowning achievement of Premchand’s lifelong struggle came on October 20, 1999, when the Bihar Legislative Assembly passed the Prevention of Witch (Dayan) Practices Act, 2001. It was the second major law of its kind in India. Today, this law is operational in six states, and until his final breath, Premchand was trying to get it implemented in nine other states across the country.
