OUR CORRESPONDENT
DIGBOI: A case of alleged witch-hunting has surfaced at Ultapool Ouguri Gaon under Digboi police station in Assam’s Tinsukia district, where a woman aged above 50 was allegedly tortured and killed on October 28 after being branded a witch. Three women were arrested on Tuesday morning in connection with the incident, while police are investigating the possible involvement of others.
The incident reportedly involved the victim’s own family members, who allegedly participated in the torture. Police faced challenges during the initial investigation as villagers had reportedly cremated the woman’s body barely 20 minutes before the police team reached the village, preventing forensic examination.
The investigation also faced a wall of silence, with no eyewitnesses coming forward and no formal complaint being lodged. Those questioned, including the victim’s relatives, reportedly claimed that she had died of a pressure stroke.
Despite the lack of physical evidence, police expanded their investigation by gathering information about people who had visited the village on the day of the incident. They also contacted relatives in nearby Makum and Dibrugarh to establish the sequence of events.
The sustained investigation eventually led to the arrest of three women identified as Buri Chautal (45), wife of Raju Chautal; Simla Majhi (35), wife of Robi Majhi; and Anima Chautal (48), wife of late Mangal Chautal. All three are residents of Ultapool Ouguri Gaon.
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