A brutal act rooted in superstition has once again exposed the deadly consequences of blind belief in Assam, where a married couple was killed in a mob attack in Karbi Anglong district.
The incident took place on Tuesday night in No. 1 Beloguri Munda village, located in the Howraghat area. According to police, the victims were targeted by local villagers who suspected them of practising witchcraft and blamed them for alleged misfortunes in the area.
The deceased have been identified as Gardi Birowa, aged 43, and Mira Birowa, aged 33. Officials said the attackers first stormed the couple’s home and assaulted them before setting the house on fire. “The miscreants first attacked the couple with sharp weapons inside their house. After that, they burnt the house, and the couple died in the fire,” an official said.
Blind Belief Fuelled Karbi Anglong Murders, Say Police
Police believe the killings were driven by superstition and rumours prevalent in the region. “The area is under the grip of superstition. People still believe in rumours, leading to sufferings of some,” a police official said, highlighting the mindset that led to the crime.
Soon after the attack, senior police officers along with civil administration officials reached the village to assess the situation and begin an investigation. All those involved in the incident have been arrested, authorities confirmed. The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions of state law that criminalise witch-hunting.
The killings have renewed concerns over the persistence of witch-hunting in Assam, despite the state enforcing the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act since 2015. The law provides for strict punishment, including imprisonment and fines, for branding individuals as witches and for acts of violence linked to such accusations. However, official records indicate that more than 100 people have lost their lives to witch-hunting-related violence in the state over the past decade.
