A horrific incident has emerged from Assam, where a couple was killed after being burnt alive by a group of villagers on the suspicion of practising witchcraft in the Anlong district. Sources told NDTV that the incident occurred on Tuesday at No. 1 Beloguri Munda village in the Howraghat area of Karbi Anglong.
The victims were identified as Gardi Birowa (43) and Mira Birowa (33). The attackers first attacked the couple with sharp weapons inside their house and later set the premises on fire, resulting in their death. Soon after the incident, police officials reached the crime spot and began an investigation. All the accused were arrested.
A police official told the news agency PTI that the region (where the crime occurred) has been under the grip of supersition. "People still believe in rumours, leading to sufferings of some," the official said.
This incident has again sparked the fear of witch-hunting in Assam, a state that has very stringent anti-witch-hunting laws in place. The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act was launched by the state government in 2015.
The act implements strict punishment and fines for branding people as "witches" and subsequently killing them. In the last 10 years, Assam has seen more than 100 deaths in cases of "witch hunting."
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