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Three arrested in witch-hunting case

By AT Kokrajhar Bureau |

Police arrested three persons in connection with the missing of college student Ashinta Basumatary alias Ola, who went missing from his house at East Maligaon in Kokrajhar, since April 22; on the other hand, accused woman for witch left her village to get rid of atrocities and threatens from the situation in the area.

Shyamal Prasad Saikia, Kokrajhar SP said that police administration has been taking stern action into incident and nabbed three persons from the village. They are identified -Anil Basumatary( 60), Ranjan Narzary(25) and Dhiren Narzary(40), were arrested yesterday night. Saikia said expressed concern over incident said that it was unfortunate in today’s scientific era as peoples are belif on witch. He said that there is every posibility that the youth was killed and body dumped the day he was taken away.He has expressed his hopeful that main culprits would be booked in earliest.

Ashinta Basumatary alias Ola, a BA 4 semmester student at UN Brahma College, Kajalgaon in Chirang went missing from his house since April 22 last. The family member fear that he was taken away and killed by some villagers as the family were accused of being a witch. Ashinta’s mother Gaijrai was accused of being a witch five years back after the death of her husband. and forced to leave her house last December. She has since been living at her parents house at Sulmari in Gossaigaon subdivision.

In October 2013, the villagers of Sulmari and East Maligaon even held a meeting in this regard and a resolution was adopted that the family should be allowed to live in the village without any problem. But the family were harassed continually forcing Gajrai to leave her home and stayed with her parents leaving her two sons and a daughter.

The ordeal resurfaces again after Gajrai came to visit her children for a family function few days back. Some villagers accused her of spelling black magic resulting the death of a cow in the village after her visit in the village.

Ashinta’s elder brother Mahanta said they received a threat few days back by some villagers, who even took away their goat as punishment. Mahanta said after receiving threat his brother(Ashinta) asked him and his wife to leave the place as precautionary measure.

Mahanta said he left for his in-law’s place on 20 April last but could not contact his brother since April 22.

‘I heard that he was taken away and killed, he said.

The family member named five suspect-Thobra Narzary, Gobinda Basumatary, Elem narzary, Borai Basumatary and Sontola Basumatary- in the FIR.

Accused family members alleged that villagers kidnapped Ashinta and later killed him for not getting his mother (accused Gaijrai) on April 22 last,who has been still missing. Accused Gaijrai and her family members today left the East Maligaon village following threats of atrocities on them for Soulmari village under Gossaigaon sub-division.

Gaijrai Basumatary,accused woman said, ‘On April 22 last villagers of East Maligaon kidnapped my son and allegedly killed for not getting her, on suspecting witch. I don’t know nothing about black magic, but same villagers suspects her witch.Villagers used to plan atrocities her as well family members. Today, I and my son are leaving the village due to insure of living in the village because villagers are targeting her family. I have filed an FIR with police seeking justice into incident’.

Anil Brahma, relatives of Gaijrai said,‘Gaijrai and her son are leaving village for allegedly suspected witch-craft because her a son was kidnapped and allegedly killed.Villagers have been targeting her family, so they decided to leave village to a secure village. ‘We have filed an FIR with police and wanting stern action into incident. Villagers of East Maligaon killed Ashinta for not getting his accused mother (Gaijrai) at her home’,he said.

Former minister and Kokrajhar east MLA Pramila Rani Brahma visited the village to take stock about situation.She has condemned the situation.

 

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Assam Times Kokrajhar bureau office, BTAD.
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