A CORRESPONDENT
KHERONI: In a shocking incident highlighting the persistence of superstitious beliefs, a couple was brutally killed after being accused of practising witchcraft in the Karbi Anglong district.
The victims, identified as Gardi Birua (43) and his wife Mira Birua (33), residents of No. 1 Beloguri Munda Basti under Howraghat police station, were attacked on Tuesday night. According to police reports, miscreants first assaulted the couple with sharp weapons inside their home before setting the house on fire, leading to their deaths.
Villagers allegedly believed that the couple was responsible for bringing harm or misfortune to the area through witchcraft, prompting the violent mob attack.
Senior police officials and district administration, including the Additional District Commissioner (ADC), Diphu, and a specialized team rushed to the scene and initiated an investigation. Authorities have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), emphasizing that witch-hunting was a specific criminal offence under Assam’s state law. No one was arrested until the filing of this report.
Despite strict guidelines issued by the Supreme Court to curb rising witch-hunting crimes in tribal-dominated areas, including Assam, such incidents continue to occur. The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, enacted in 2015 and fully implemented in 2018, prescribes severe punishments, including imprisonment and heavy fines, for those involved in branding or harming individuals suspected of witchcraft.
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