Assam: 3 killed in name of black magic

In two shocking incidents of superstition and black magic, two women and a four-year boy were killed by a tantric and villagers in two separate incidents in Nagaon and Chiraideo districts of Assam, on Tuesday.

The first incident took place in Kathanigaon village of Chiraideo where a tantric allegedly sacrificed a four-year-old boy to “appease” the goddess.

Though the incident took place on October 23 — the day the child went missing — it came to light on Tuesday when the police recovered his beheaded body. The angry villagers vandalised the house of the tantric, Hanuman Bhumij, and that of his associate Haque Ullah. Both were arrested by the police.

In 2015, a five-year-old boy was sacrificed during the Kali Puja at Rangapara Tea Estate in Assam’s Sonitpur district.

In another shocking incident in Central Assam’s Nagaon, the police on Tuesday recovered bodies of two women, who were allegedly buried alive by the villagers on suspicion of practicing witchcraft.

The police said that the victims — Sagar and Salani Gaur — were buried alive in a pit and left to die on suspicion of practicing black magic. They were accused of causing all problems that the villagers faced.

One of the accused, talking to television channels, claimed a tantric said the women cast black magic upon the village, due to which villagers are falling sick. A group of villagers, led by the three accused, buried the women alive in a pit and left them to die. The accused showed no sign of regret. In 2015, the Assam Assembly had also passed the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Bill.