Jharkhand: Two killed under suspicion of practising witchcraft in Gumla

An elderly couple was killed in Jharkhand's Gumla under suspicion of witchcraft, Jharkhand police said on Saturday.

Gumla(Jharkhand): An elderly couple was killed in Jharkhand’s Gumla district allegedly by their relatives who suspected that they practiced witchcraft, police said on Saturday. The incident happened around 9 pm on Friday in Bhagat Bukma village in Chainpur police station area, around 140 km from state capital Ranchi, they said.

Lundra Chik Baraik (65) and his wife Phulma Devi (60) were attacked with an ax and sticks when they were in their house, said Chainpur sub-divisional police officer Cyril Marandi. Lundra's sister-in-law Sumitra Devi was arrested in connection with the murder, and the involvement of her son Ravindra and some other people is being probed, he said.

"During interrogation, Sumitra claimed that both the husband and wife were witches and they harmed people with their black magic," Marandi said. Sumitra's daughter was ill for the past few days and she held the couple responsible for her illness, he said. She was booked under provisions of the Prevention of Witch (DAAIN) Practices Act, he added.

Former village head Kishun Bhagat said that Lundra had met him on Friday morning, and said that Sumitra's family was threatening him. "A meeting was held in presence of village head Jairam Bhagat to sort out the issue. We tried to convince both the families but Sumitra's family was leveling witchcraft allegations at Lundra's family," he said.

"Gauging the tension between the two families, villagers suggested they report the matter to the police. Lundra had gone to the police station. We do not know what happened thereafter. At night, we came to know that Lundra and his wife were killed," Bhagat said.

(With agency inputs)