Six including the village head arrested in witch-hunting case in a Kokrajhar village

Our Correspondent

Kokrajhar: Sensation prevailed in Jornagra part -1 village in Kokrajhar following the threat to a family to leave the village due to the alleged practice of black magic. Police have arrested six persons, including the gaon bura, in connection with the witch-hunting incident in Kokrajhar where five members of a family in a remote village in Kokrajhar district were ostracized and ordered to leave the village by August 15 as the villagers suspected them to practice witchcraft.

The arrested persons were identified as Kharam Rabha (56), Nitai Rabha (48), Terang alias Tarun Rabha (42), Rangar Rabha (30), Sameswar Rabha (60), the government gaon bura, and Pundor Rabha (65), VDP secretary.

Kokrajhar police station officer in-charge J. Barman said six persons had been arrested and a case Kokrajhar PS case No. 382/2019 u/s 4(1)(II)/7/9(II)/10/11 had been registered under the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition Prevention and Protection Act) 2015.

On Thursday at Jornagra Part-1 village under Kokrajhar police station, five members of a family -Badreswar Rabha (55), his wife Puleswari Rabha, son Ajit, daughter-in-law and two-year-old grandson - were ostracized and ordered to leave the village by August 15. The villagers on Thursday held a meeting in the village where a resolution was adopted to outcast the family, accusing them of practicing black magic. The villagers also allegedly forced the family to sign a paper admitting their crime.

Meanwhile, Kokrajhar district administration along with district police held a peace meeting at Jornagra village on Sunday. The villagers took part in the meeting.

Addressing the villagers, Additional SP of Kokrajhar, Rosy Sharma said the incident at Jornagra village where members of a family were told to leave the village on suspicion of practising witchcraft was unfortunate in this modern age. She called upon the villagers to give up superstitious beliefs. The public meeting was also attended by Kokrajhar Circle Officer Dwipen Barman and leaders of ABWWF and CWC, Kokrajhar. In the meeting, the villagers took back the resolution to ask Bhadreswar Rabha and his family to leave, and assured that they could live there normally as before.

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