Tribals lynched middle-aged person in Bihar accusing him to be sorcerer

The accused armed with axes and other traditional weapons attacked Madan Oraon late Saturday night at his house, accusing him of being a sorcerer, who they held to be responsible for prolonged ailments and deaths in their families

A middle-aged tribal man was lynched late Saturday night by fellow tribal men in front of family members at a tribal village in Kaimur wildlife sanctuary in Bihar over suspicion that he was a sorcerer, police said. The body of Madan Oraon, 45, was recovered a day later on Sunday evening following the arrest of 6 out of the nine accused.

Faith in witchcraft and sorcery existed in tribal societies where several related crimes have been registered recently. (HT photo/Representative use)

Deceased’s wife Sudeshwari Devi has named nine co-villagers for her husband’s murder. Surendra Oraon, Mahendra Oraon, Ajay Oraon, Rampati Oraon, Sushil Oraon and Pankaj Oraon have been arrested, while police raids continue to arrest the other three, Parikha Oraon, Dharmendra Oraon and Birendra Oraon, superintendent of police, Rakesh Kumar said on Monday.

The accused armed with axes and other traditional weapons attacked Madan Oraon late Saturday night at his house, accusing him of being a sorcerer, who they alleged to be responsible for prolonged ailments and deaths in their families.

They locked Oraon’s family members in a room when they resisted and tried to raise an alarm. After this, they killed the man in a brutal assault before burying him in the village crematorium.

After the killers left, the victim’s family members lodged a complaint at Adhaura police station. Police managed to arrest six accused and recover the deceased’s body on their identification. Two country-made guns, axe and other weapons used in the murder were recovered from their possession, police said.

Fear and faith in witchcraft and black magic is still very common, especially in the tribal regions falling under the Kaimur wildlife sanctuary on Kaimur plateau.

On the night of August 24, a street hawker killed his pregnant wife and two children with a farming spade at Sondihara village under Bhabua police station limits because he didn’t appreciate her proximity to so-called sorcerers, police had said.

Last year, some people branded a 70-year-old tribal widow a bitch and chopped off her tongue at the remote hilly Rediya village under Tilothu police station limits.

A year ago, a 65-year-old tribal woman from Sorha village under Adhaura police station limits was killed in front of her husband over suspicion that she practiced witchcraft.