2 lynched, beheaded, set on fire over witchcraft suspicion in Assam

Two persons, including a woman, have been lynched, beheaded and set on fire by an angry mob over suspicion of practising witchcraft in Assam's Karbi Anglong district, a senior police officer said on Friday.

The mob had accused the duo of performing 'black magic', causing the death of a teenaged girl in Rohimapur village in Dokmoka police station area, he said.

The incident came to light on Thursday after some locals reported it to the law enforcers, following which nine persons have been arrested, district Superintendent of Police Debajit Deuri said.

A day before her death on September 29, Rashmi Gour, a teenaged girl from Rohimapur, had named two persons from the village and claimed she had fallen ill due to 'black magic' performed by them, he said.

On the third day after Gour's death, another girl in the village headman's house also accused the duo of performing 'black magic' on her, causing her illness.

"The villagers then lynched the duo identified as Ramawati Halua and Bijoy Gour and took their bodies to a nearby hill. They beheaded the bodies near the burial site of Rashmi Gour and set them on fire," Deuri said.

Senior police officers and Executive Magistrate Jintu Borah have visited the site and collected the remains from the pyre, besides soil samples, he said.

A case has been registered and nine persons, including two women, have been arrested and weapons seized, the officer said.

A manhunt has been launched to nab the remaining accused, he added.