Bengal couple lynched on suspicion of ‘witchcraft’

Kolkata: A married couple was beaten to death in a tribal village in West Bengal’s Birbhum district over allegations of practising witchcraft, police said on Monday, adding that seven people were arrested in connection with the incident

Kolkata: A married couple was beaten to death in a tribal village in West Bengal’s Birbhum district over allegations of practising witchcraft, police said on Monday, adding that seven people were arrested in connection with the incident.

During the investigation, local residents told the police that Besra’s wife had died recently and as the couple was known to be involved in exorcism-related activities, allegations of the victims practising witchcraft surfaced in the village. (Representative photo)

Police have identified the deceased as Pandu Hembram (62) and his wife Parbati Hembram (56).

“A village couple was beaten to death on Saturday. We have arrested seven people so far,” said Bhaskar Mukherjee, superintendent of police (SP), Birbhum. “They (the accused) were produced in the court and three of them are now in police custody. Further investigation is on.”

Prime accused Rubai Besra, a former chief of the Noapara village, was among the seven arrested so far, police said. On the basis of a complaint lodged by the nephew of the 62-year-old man, a case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the accused, the officer said.

The couple had a long-standing enmity with the prime accused and his family. “At the village meeting on Saturday, the couple was beaten with bamboo sticks by Besra and his associates,” said an officer from the Sainthia police station. “They were rushed to a hospital in Bolpur, where they were declared dead.”

While the couple’s son works in Delhi, their daughters are married and don’t live in the village.

The incident came to light when the man accused and his associates took the bodies to a cremation ground away from the village. Locals there suspected foul play and confronted Besra, who was later handed over to the police, said a local police officer.

During the investigation, local residents told the police that Besra’s wife had died recently and as the couple was known to be involved in exorcism-related activities, allegations of the victims practising witchcraft surfaced in the village.

“It is a tribal village and similar incident had happened in the past as well. Then too allegations of witchcraft had surfaced. We are verifying the allegations,” said the officer from the Sainthia police station.