Couple Brutally Murdered in Karbi Anglong Village
A tragic incident of suspected witch-hunting has claimed the lives of a couple in Assam's Karbi Anglong district. The victims, identified as Gardi, 43, and Mira Birowa, 33, were murdered on Tuesday night in No. 1 Beloguri Munda village located in the Howraghat area.
According to police reports, a group of villagers attacked the couple and subsequently set their house on fire. The brutal act has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the persistent challenge of superstitious violence in the region.
Police Investigation Underway, No Arrests Made
Superintendent of Police for Karbi Anglong, Pushpraj Singh, confirmed the details of the case. As of Wednesday evening, no arrests had been made in connection with the double murder.
"A case has been registered and it appears that it was a case of witch-hunting. We are investigating and still ascertaining the nature in which they had been killed and are not in a position to comment about that," SP Singh told The Indian Express.
The police have launched a full-scale investigation to identify and apprehend the perpetrators involved in this heinous crime.
Assam's Long Battle Against Witch-Hunting
This incident underscores a grim reality in Assam, which has been battling the scourge of witch-hunting for a long time. To combat this, the state enacted the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act in 2018, making it a specific cognisable and non-bailable offence.
Official records reveal the alarming persistence of such crimes. From 2022 to 2024, a total of 32 cases were registered under this Act.
In response to the ongoing challenge, the Assam government took a significant step in May this year. It notified the 'Assam State Policy to Combat Human Trafficking and End Witch-Hunting'.
This comprehensive policy aims at targeted intervention with a focus on four key pillars:
- Prevention through awareness programs in vulnerable areas.
- Rescue operations for potential victims.
- Rehabilitation of survivors of such attacks.
- Prosecution of offenders to ensure justice.
The policy lays out standard operating procedures for rescue and rehabilitation and directs authorities to identify "vulnerable pockets" to run targeted awareness and crime prevention programs.
The murder of Gardi and Mira Birowa is a stark reminder that despite legislative and policy measures, deep-rooted superstitions continue to pose a lethal threat in certain parts of the state, demanding sustained grassroots intervention and stricter enforcement of the law.
