Four elderly people lynched in Jharkhand on suspicion of witchcraft

In yet another incident of lynching, four elderly people, including two women, were beaten to death in Jharkhand's Gumla district on the suspicion of practising witchcraft, the police said on Sunday. The incident took place at Nagar Siskari village in the district on Saturday night.

Superintendent of Police Anjani Kumar Jha said a group of 10 masked men dragged them out of their houses and beat them to death with sticks. "It appears to be a witchcraft-related incident and the matter is being investigated," he said.

Suna Oraonm, 65, Champa Oraon, 79, Fagni Oraine, 60, and Piro Oraine, 74, were killed, Jha said. The police have launched a search to nab the accused, he said.  

The incident happened less than a month after a lower caste man Tabrez Ansari, 24, was died after being badly beaten up for allegedly attempting to steal a motorcycle in Dhaktidih village in Jharkhand. He was reportedly tied to a pole and beaten for 12 hours by a mob. The police took Ansari into custody and produced him in a court that sent him to judicial remand. Ansari fell ill on June 22 and was taken to a hospital, where he died. The FIR said that the mob had also forced Ansari to chant “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Hanuman”.

Jharkhand: 4 persons killed allegedly by 10-12 unidentified miscreants in Gumla. Anjani Kumar Jha, SP Gumla, says, “Prima facie, it appears the victims were involved in witchcraft. Crime seems to have happened because of superstitious beliefs. Investigation underway.” (20.07.19) pic.twitter.com/L5RyrwWIkH

— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2019

In Jharkhand’s neighbouring state Bihar, three people were lynched at a village in Saran district on Friday morning by a mob that caught hold of them while they were allegedly stealing cattle. The incident took place in the wee hours at Paigambarpur village under Baniapur police station.

The deceased were identified as Raju Nat, Bides Nat and Naushad Qureshi, Superintendent of Police Har Kishore Rai said.

In Madhya Pradesh, a 58-year old man was allegedly beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of stealing peacocks in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district, police said on Saturday, adding that nine persons have been arrested. The incident occurred on Friday night in Lasudi Antari village under Kukdeshwar police station limits, about 40 kms from the district headquarters, Superintendent of Police Rakesh Kumar Sagar said.

(With PTI inputs)