Guwahati, Dec 13 (Inditop.com) Six members of a family were hacked to death Sunday in Assam and the heads of two victims were missing in what police suspect to be a black magic ritual.
A police spokesperson said the incident took place at village Jogdol, about 30 km east of Assam’s main city of Guwahati.
“We were informed by locals that six dead bodies were inside a mud-and-thatch hut and that heads of two young boys were decapitated and missing,” a senior police officer said.
The victims include 50-year-old Harakanta Doley, a daily wage earner, his wife, two teenaged daughters, and one six-year-old son. The sixth victim was the six-year-old son of Doley’s younger brother who was staying with the family overnight.
“The incident probably took place before dawn Sunday as the wounds are still fresh,” the officer said.
Locals say the brutal killings were driven by superstitious beliefs.
“We strongly suspect it to be a case of some sorcerer or black magician committing the crime and taking away the heads of the two small boys. There was no personal enmity and the family was very poor and had no property as well,” said K. Teron, a local tribal community elder.
“The incident took place on the Amavasya night (Amavasya, or the new moon, is the last day of the waning moon) and this night is preferred by practitioners of black magic for performing rituals like human sacrifice. We, therefore, strongly suspect that this incident was nothing but driven by superstitious beliefs,” Ananta Doley, another local elder, said.
Police are also not ruling out the possibility of the attack inspired by superstitious beliefs.
“Investigations are on and the police is looking into the theory of black magic and superstitious beliefs in this barbaric killing,” said Akon Bora, Assam social welfare minister who is also the legislator from the area.
Superstitious beliefs, black magic and demonology are integral to tribal customs in parts of Assam, Tripura and other northeastern states.
Several tribal communities practise indigenous faiths, believed to be a mix of black magic and superstition, which are used to treat ailments or cast evil spells on adversaries.
Furious mobs have killed at least 200 people during the past five years for allegedly practising sorcery and witchcraft, mostly in tribal-dominated areas of western and northern Assam.
“Most cases are inspired by superstition. It is shocking to hear about such incidents in this modern world,” said Kula Saikia, Inspector General of Assam Police
“This is indeed a real big problem for us. The recurring incidents of killing people for allegedly practising witchcraft sends a wrong signal to people outside the region,” Saikia told Inditop.
Given the rising trend, the police have intensified their special drive to curb this heinous crime.
Codenamed Project Prahari (Vigilant), the crusade includes community policing, besides regular awareness campaigns among tribal chiefs and village elders.
“The battle against witch hunting is a challenging task for the security forces. There should be a concerted campaign by civil society groups, legal fraternity, and the law enforcing agencies,” said Saikia, who heads Project Prahari.
“Simply enforcing the law and punishing the guilty are inadequate. There has to be an attitudinal change.”
