Charged under “With Hunting Act”: 6 arrested in Barak Valley for assaulting a woman

In the Dwarbond area of the Cachar district, 6 people were arrested today for physically harassing and injuring a woman for allegedly practising witchcraft. The incident took place at the Baluchari Forest Village near Dwarbond. According to police sources, the incident happened on June 18, when the victim, a married woman and a mother of two, Mini Kuni, was physically assaulted and beaten by 6 people of her village under the suspicion of practising witchcraft.

The arrested 6 assaulters, namely, Sanjit Kurmi, Srikumar Kurmi, Birilal Kurmi, Moina Kurmi, Monua Kurmi and Mohan Kurmi were arrested today in connection with DWB case No-124/21 U/S- 147/148/149/325 IPC, R/W Sec 4/7 Of Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, 2015. They will be produced in the court tomorrow.

According to Dwarbond Police station I/C Nirupam Nath, a youth had died in the village a few weeks back for which the victim Mini Kuni was accused of causing so with the help of ‘witchcraft’ by the assaulters. “Believing that the woman had a hand in the death of that youth with the help of witchcraft, the assaulters went to her house on June 18. As her husband was out at work, the victim was rendered defenceless and the assaulters physically harassed and beat her. She somehow managed to escape and save herself by exiting through the forest and taking refuge at her ancestral home in Bilaipur village nearby. She later filed an FIR against the incident based on which we arrested the 6 accused of assaulting her”, said Police Station I/C Nirupam Nath.

The victim is aged 33 and belongs to the tea tribe community.