Guwahati: Deep concern resurfaced on Wednesday as Assam reported another horrific witch-hunting incident in which villagers in Karbi Anglong district brutally k arked outrage, with authorities rushing to the spot.
Senior police and civil officials visited the village, tightening security to prevent further violence. An investigation is underway to identify and arrest the perpetrators, who face charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as the state’s specific anti-witch-hunting law.
Assam passed the Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act in 2015, which came into full effect in 2018 after receiving presidential assent.
The Act classifies witch-hunting as a cognisable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable offence, with punishments ranging from three to seven years’ imprisonment and fines of up to Rs 5 lakh. In extreme cases, punishment may extend to life imprisonment.
“Despite strict laws, such incidents continue because of illiteracy, poverty, lack of access to healthcare, and addiction, which fuel paranoia,” said a social activist associated with campaigns against superstition in the Northeast.
“Mysterious diseases with no immediate solutions in local hospitals often lead to innocent people being blamed.”
Experts point to multiple factors sustaining witch-hunting, including rampant illiteracy in tribal areas, unemployment-driven social tensions, violence against women and children disguised as ‘justice’, and illicit liquor consumption that exacerbates mob mentality. Property disputes and personal vendettas are often concealed behind witchcraft allegations.
“We cannot say it is only blind faith; it is also a tool for gender-based violence and social control in impoverished communities,” an anti-witch-hunting NGO member said.
Police data show that cases declined after 2018, but authorities registered 32 incidents between 2022 and 2024, underscoring gaps in implementation.
Sources in the Chief Minister’s Office said awareness drives and community policing efforts will be intensified.
“The government will never allow blind beliefs to claim innocent lives, and it will take strict action against everyone involved,” a government spokesperson said.
As Assam bids goodbye to 2025 with this tragedy, calls are growing for stronger education, improved healthcare infrastructure, and stricter enforcement to eradicate this menace once and for all, particularly in rural, hilly, and tea garden areas.