In a major judgment in a decade-old witch-hunting case, the court of Additional District & Sessions Judge in Assam’s Biswanath district sentenced 4 individuals to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of a woman in 2015.
Victim Killed Over Witchcraft Allegation
Advocate Jahnavi Kalita, speaking to the media, revealed that on July 20, 2015, a woman from Bhimajuli village was brutally murdered by a group of villagers near a river after she was accused of practicing witchcraft.
“A case was registered at Biswanath Chariali police station (case number 224/15) under Sections 120(B), 143, 448, and 302 of the IPC after the victim’s son filed an FIR,” Kalita said. Following the investigation, 17 people were arrested, and police filed a chargesheet against all of them.
Kalita further added, “One among the accused died during the trial, and proceedings continued against the remaining 16 individuals. On July 21 this year, the court announced its verdict in Sessions Court case number 183/16, sentencing four persons to life imprisonment.”
Names Of The Convicted
The four convicted have been identified as:
- Diliram Bey
- Anima Ronghangpi
- Raju Bey
- Naren Ronghang
The judgment is being seen as a strong statement against the continued prevalence of witch-hunting practices in rural Assam.
Arms Seized, Seven Arrested Near Assam-Arunachal Border
In a separate incident, Sonitpur district police arrested seven individuals and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition during a joint operation near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, police officials confirmed on Monday.
Raid Based On Secret Tip-Off
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Barun Purkayastha, the raid was based on a secret tip-off. The operation, carried out jointly by Sonitpur police, Dhekiajuli police, and CRPF commandos, began on Sunday night and continued into Monday morning.
The team targeted Rowonchandri village near Thaula Centre in Batashipur, a sensitive area close to the inter-state border. During the raid, security personnel seized a substantial quantity of arms and ammunition and also destroyed a suspected militant camp.
“The operation was successful, and all arrested individuals are currently in custody for interrogation,” SSP Purkayastha said at a press conference held in Tezpur.
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