Charaideo witch-hunting case: 23 sentenced to life

OUR CORRESPONDENT

SIVASAGAR: In a chilling reminder of how superstition can turn deadly, 23 individuals have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the District & Sessions Judge Court of Charaideo for the brutal 2012 murder of an elderly woman accused of witchcraft. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each convict.

The heinous incident took place in Jalah village’s Hajonbasti area under Sonari Police Station in February 2012, where a mob of villagers, driven by blind belief, tortured and burnt alive 65-year-old Fuleswari Halowa after branding her a witch. The mob tied her with rope, paraded her through the village, and later burnt her body near a small river, completely destroying any remains.

Based on an FIR filed by her son, Jogen Halowa, Sonari Police registered case no. 10/2012 under IPC Sections 302 and 34. A total of 35 individuals were arrested, out of which 10 were discharged during the filing of the chargesheet. The court eventually tried 25 accused, and after a 14-year-long legal battle, Judge Abubakkar Siddique declared the final verdict today, convicting 23 individuals, including 11 women and 12 men. Among those sentenced to life are Chintamoni Halowa, Nirmala Halowa, Nitu Halowa, Rita Halowa, Montu Halowa, Bikash Munda, Tempu Halowa, Jogen Halowa, Anita Halowa, Reena Khakhlari, Bindawati Halowa, Dhanmati Halowa, Dipali Halowa, Jayamati Halowa, Mandumati Halowa, Niru Halowa, Pamila Halowa, Preeti Halowa, Rupali Halowa and Chamali Halowa.

One accused, Pradip Phukan, the then village head, passed away during the course of the trial. Hemanta Daimari, a village defence party secretary, was fined Rs. 3,000 under IPC Section 202 for his failure to act despite being informed of the crime.

The trial involved the testimonies of 14 witnesses, including police officers and doctors. Government prosecutors Basanta Gogoi (late), Senior Advocate Mahesh Gaduka and Ranjit Seleng represented the case.

This horrific case, which went largely unnoticed at first, only came to light the next morning around 11 AM when a group of journalists reached the site and informed Sonari Police. By then, all physical evidence had been burnt, with only embers and a few charred wooden remains found at the scene.

The long-delayed justice in one of Assam’s most shocking witch-hunting incidents has been met with relief and satisfaction from the local community, who view the life sentences as a strong message against superstition-fuelled violence.

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