Villagers thrash couple, shave their head suspecting them practicing witchcraft in Latehar, Jharkhand

Police sources said that the villagers decided that the couple will first have to cock and a goat as a penalty and then they go through the purification ritual adding that the couple was also thrashed by the locals.

Latehar: Villagers allegedly assaulted a couple, shaved their heads, and paraded them around the village as part of a "purification ritual" under suspicion that they have killed a person in the village with black magic. The shocking incident took place in the Bhedigandhar village of Mahuadand police station of Latehar district in Jharkhand on Saturday, police said on Wednesday.

According to police sources, a few ago a person died in the village and meanwhile, the said couple created a ruckus in inebriated condition shouting that they have killed the person using black magic. This enraged the villagers who decided in a meeting that the couple should be purified using traditional rituals.

Police said that the villagers decided that the couple will first have to cock and a goat as a penalty and then they go through the purification ritual adding that the couple was also thrashed by the locals.

Then the villagers shaved the heads of the couple and smeared lime on their heads before parading them around the village as part of the purification ritual. Upon being informed about the incident police swung into action and summoned the couple to the Mahuadand police station to record their statement. Police said that based on their statement further action is being taken as per law. Speaking to reporters the station-in-charge said that strict legal action will be taken against those who are responsible for the act.

Mahuadand SDM Nit Nikhil Surin said that the administration has received the information about the matter and a team has been formed to investigate the case.