A CORRESPONDENT
DIBRUGARH: The Assam Tea Tribes Student’s Association (ATTSA) submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against the brutal torture of an Adivasi woman in Romai Tea Estate in Dibrugarh. The woman was branded as a ‘witch’ by a group of villagers, tortured, and dragged to a river side.
“We have submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding the brutal torture of a Adivasi woman in Romai Tea Estate. It was a heinous act and we strongly condemn the atrocities on the old lady,” said Dibrugarh district ATTSA General Secretary Lakhindra Kurmi.
He said, “The government should take stringent measures to stop ‘witch-hunting.’ Branding someone ‘witch’ cannot be tolerable. We have already discussed the matter with Ellora Vigyan Manch and jointly we will carry out an awareness campaign at the tea estates of Assam against evil practices like witch-hunting.”
“There is already a law against witch-hunting in Assam and nobody can be branded as ‘witch’ but still in the village and tea garden areas, such practices are prevalent. The government should strongly curb the evil practice,” Kurmi added. The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention, and Protection) Act, 2015, declared witch-hunting a cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable offence, carrying a penalty of imprisonment (up to 7 years) and fine. The law aims to prevent, prohibit, and protect individuals from witch-hunting, with specific punishments for those who identify, call, or stigmatize someone as a witch, and those who lead to suicide or death after branding someone a witch.
On Tuesday, Lahowal Police arrested seven accused in connection with the brutal torture of the 62-year-old Adivasi woman on Tuesday. The victim has been identified as Monika Sanga of 1 No. Rajgarh Sengamari in Romai Tea Estate.
“The whole issue was related to land and there was already a dispute between the Monika Sanga and Suraj Sanga families. Suraj Sanga with the help of Binod Sanga, who was a tantric, planned the incident,” said a police official.
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