INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Guwahati: In yet another incident of witch hunting, a woman was lynched by her neighbours and villagers on suspicion of practicing
In addition, a man who confronted the villagers over their belief was also lynched.Police said that they have already arrested nine persons
police said that incident took place in Rohimapur area under the Dokmoka police station of Karbi Anglong district
Villagers said that on Wednesday, at a post-death ritual for a deceased in the village, another woman -- a 50-year-old widow Ramawati Halua
-- started to behave in an abnormal way to which the villagers alleged that she was practicing witchcraft.Pointing out that most of the
villagers also held the woman responsible for recent deaths and spread of diseases, police said that a mob started beating her and attacked
When a 28-year-old educated young man of the village, Bijoy Gaur, accused them of being superstitious, he was attacked too
intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday
It was under the Dokmoka police station jurisdiction that two young men were beaten to death by an angry mob in 2018 after it suspected them
of being child-lifters.It is significant that there have been many attempts to check incident of witch hunting, a social evil that has
plagued parts of the state for decades
In 2001, Assam police had introduced Project Prahari, a community project by the police against killing of women after branding them as
The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, which implements stringent punishment and fine for branding and
cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable offence
