From a Correspondent
Tezpur, May 9: Though different tiol and social organizations, besides various NGOs in the region, have been trying their level best to create an opinion against the burning issue of witch hunting that often happens among the Adivasi people in tea garden areas and in tribal areas, another tragic incident of witch hunting at the new line of Sesa Tea Estate near Rangapara town under Rangapara police station in Sonitpur district has created sensation among the people.
According to sources, ill-motivated people of the area on Sunday night attempted to kill two women of the line, Kwonri Tanti (45) and Dulumoni Rai (60) on charges of practicing witchcraft in the area. Due to lack of medical facilities in the labour line and lack of the health awareness among the people of the area, people often suffer from various diseases. These people instead of going to the doctor normally approach a quack. Likewise, for the last few days most of the people have been suffering from different seasol diseases while the quack pointed out that the people were suffering because of the two women. However, hearing this, the illiterate and superstitious people of the labour line, without giving any second thought, started to organize themselves against the two women and later attempted to elimite them. At first three persons attacked the two women who were later on followed by most of the people of the line.
On receiving the information, police rushed to the spot and rescued the two victims in a critical condition and later admitted them in Tezpur Medical College and Hospital. On charges of having involvement in the gruesome act, three accused mely Madan Rawtia, Junul Rawtia and Jiskal Munda were arrested on the spot. Five other accused mely Dinejit Bhengra, Salom Bhengra, Nijora Bhengra, Jaimoti Rawtia and Margaret Seria have been absconding.
Meanwhile, secretary general of anti-witch hunting organization Brothers, Dibya Jyoti Saikia, and president of frontline NGO in Tezpur – Bhoomi - Dr Pradip th urged the police administration to expedite action against the people involved in the incident, giving exemplary punishment to them. “It is nothing but a psychological problem of the educatiolly backward people who always fail get modern facilities like better health care and awareness. Without making the people full aware in this regard, the problem can never be eradicated,” they said.