Two people, including a woman, have been lynched, beheaded and set on fire by an angry mob over suspicion of practising witchcraft in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, a senior police officer said on Friday.
Police said that nine persons had been arrested and efforts were underway to arrest six more.
Ramawati Halua (50) and Bijoy Gour (28), both belonging to the Adivasi community and residents of Rohimapur village, were attacked by neighbours on the night of September 30 and October 1.
The victims were attacked by sharp weapons and after they were murdered, their bodies were burned. Police said that the enraged villagers had decided to kill the man and the woman after a kangaroo court in the area declared that they were involved in practising black magic.
“Mortal remains of the victims collected from the burning pyre as well as soil samples from the assault site were collected in presence of Executive Magistrate,” said a police officer.
Debojit Deuri, SP of Karbi Anglong spoke to The Hindustan Times and said that those who killed the victims had done so with planning and knew them.
He said that initial investigation revealed that the villagers believed the two were spreading misfortune and disease in the village through black magic.
Killing women over allegations of practising witchcraft in Assam is an old practice. According to government data, 107 persons have been killed in “witch-hunting” incidents in the state since 2011.
The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act has been in effect since 2018. The Act recommends stern punishments for those who brand people witches and then proceed to kill them.
