Assam Adivasi couple branded witches killed

Guwahati:In yet another case of witch hunting in Assam, an elderly couple was killed by some villagers in Kokrajhar district Sunday night, police said Monday.

Som Murmu (61) and Fulmoni Mardi (58) were killed after bring branded witches by some villagers in Fulkumari village near Gosaigaon.

"Three people have been arrested and they confessed their involvement in the killing," police said.

An official said there was old enmity between the three accused and the victims, and the killing was probably a fallout of the enmity.

The three accused consumed excessive liquor Sunday night and killed the couple. They also buried their bodies in a jungle, police said.

Earlier this month, Debajani Bora, a javelin thrower who had won a gold medal in the 2011 national masters in Haryana, fell victim to witch hunting in Karbi Anglong district but survived.

Bora was branded a witch by some villagers and tortured. Police have arrested nine people, including seven women, for torturing the veteran athlete.

In a similar incident last week, three elderly women were beaten up by villagers in Kakopathar in Tinsukia district.

Assam Police has launched 'Project Prahari' for participatory development to fight social maladies. Under the project, police have launched many awareness drives against witch hunting.