Assam witch-hunt: 4 women killed in 3 days

Purni Basumatari,57,and Modani Basumatari,55,were beaten to death in Belguri Guwabari village on April 15,and Bifula Narzary,49,was killed in Bosabeel village the next day. Another woman was killed in Samthaibari village on Sunday.

Earlier on January 1,a couple — Sarat Bindo Hazowary,65,and Tapashree Hazowary,52, — were killed in Habrubeel village.

“All the incidents are related to superstitions. A section of people have a tendency of taking treatment from people who reportedly practise witchcraft and black magic,” said Donald Gilfelon,deputy commissioner of Kokrajhar.

The district administration will start an awareness campaign from Tuesday with the help of local NGOs,women’s groups and student bodies,Gilfelon said.

All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) will also take out a motorcycle rally on Tuesday. “We will visit backward areas known for practising witchcraft,” Lawrence Islary,president of the Kokrajhar district of ABSU,said.

Project Prahari,a police initiative launched in 2001 in Kokrajhar to spread awareness to prevent such incidents,has remained dormant for the past several years.

“Project Prahari had worked wonders in tackling the menace for years. I think it should be revived,” said Pramod Boro of ABSU.

The All Bodo Women’s Welfare Federation blamed the government for failing to curb the problem. “Over 100 persons have been killed in the past decade,” said ABWWF chief Romila Islary.