Assam: Adivasi Woman Suspected of Being a ‘Witch’ Burnt Alive

New Delhi: An Adivasi woman was allegedly burnt alive on Sunday (December 24) by a group of individuals who suspected her of practicing witchcraft in northern Assam's Sonitpur district.

The woman, identified as Sangita Kapi, belonged to the Adivasi community and is survived by her husband and three children, the New Indian Express reported.

The incident unfolded on a Sunday evening when a group of assailants from the same village reportedly stormed Sangita's house. According to Ram Kapi, the husband of the deceased, the attackers interrupted Sangita while she was cooking and physically assaulted her.

 “They branded her as a witch and beat her up. I requested them to not beat her and come in the morning. I was also beaten up,” Kapi told the New Indian Express.

Despite Ram’s pleas for them to stop and return in the morning, the assailants continued their brutal attack on Sangita. Ram was also beaten up as he tried to intervene and save Sangita.

The police have arrested six individuals believed to be involved in the attack. The suspects, all residents of the same village, are currently in police custody, awaiting further legal proceedings.

It may be noted that Assam has one of the most stringent laws against witch-hunting, yet instances of women being chased away or killed after being accused of being witches still surface in the state.

According to the Assam government data, between 2011 and 2019, 107 people were killed across the state in witch-hunting incidents, Outlook reported. 

The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act was passed in 2018. However, the conviction rates in these cases remain low, the report said. 

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