Dhruva Saikia Guwahati | November 3 Prevalence of superstition and sinister designs employed by fake tantriks and god-men have resulted in the unnatural deaths, or “massacre” as some claim, of 3 innocent lives in two different places in Assam on Monday last. While in one of these two gruesome incidents, a four-year old girl was sacrificed in order to recover a lost mobile phone handset, two other women were buried alive by fellow members of the family and village because they were suspected to be witches. Torture and killing of women over suspected witchcraft has risen to such a proportion in Assam that intellectuals, artists and social activists are busy raising public awareness against the menace. Noted artist Mubin Rabha conducted a conclave of 500 artists against witchcraft, under the banner of Ethic Artists Society in February this year. According to reports available, Salmi Gaur (65), wife of late Pilo Gaur, and Saag Gaur (45), w/o Somar Gonju, hailing from Naharbari village in Karbi Anglong-Nagaon district border under Samoguri police station, were termed as witches by family members and superstitious people in the village. In the wake of a series of deaths from diseases in the village, the people approached a bez (healer) who attributed those deaths to suspected witchcraft by the two women. Three sisters and 3 brothers of Salmi and Pilo Gaur also made the two women responsible for insects in their family well. The villagers along with the brothers and sisters, aged 28, 30, and 32, held a trial and finally pushed Salmi and Pilo down the well and filled it up with earth. The Gaon Bura came to know of the incident later and informed the police leading to the arrest of the two accused while the third was absconding. Nagaon Police dug out the dead bodies in presence of the Deputy Commissioner before sending it for post mortem. In the other incident the same day, in Charaideo district along Assam-Nagaland border, a four-year old girl was sacrificed to “appease god” by a gang of sorcerers, so that they could trace out a lost mobile handset. Police have arrested Hanuman Bhumij, to whom the lost mobile belonged, and his three tantric accomplices. Another accused Arif and two other suspects were at large till filing of this report.
