Assam Governor approves state policy to combat human trafficking, witch-hunting
Assam recorded 203 cases of human trafficking last year, the third highest after Telangana (347) and Maharashtra (320).
Assam Governor Lakhsman Prasad Acharya has given the nod to a new policy aimed to combat cases of human trafficking and witch hunting in the state, the government said on Friday.
The state information department said a notification approving the policy was issued by the Governor on May 6, effective immediately, two months after the Assam cabinet had approved the policy on April 4.
“The Governor of Assam is pleased to notify the Assam State Policy to Combat Human Trafficking and End Witch Hunting. The policy will come into effect from the date of publication in the official gazette,” the notification issued on May 6 stated.
The policy stated that while there are separate laws and provisions for human trafficking and the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, 2018, to combat witch-hunting, a separate policy was formulated with the objective of “proactive and coordinated action in prevention” of both crimes.
“The fact that all roadways and railways from the other six states (in northeast, except Sikkim) cross through Assam makes it a de-facto transit route for all migrants and also trafficking children and women,” the policy stated.
The primary objectives of the policy are to ensure proactive and coordinated action in the prevention of human trafficking and witch-hunting, establish victim centric approach in the response and rehabilitation of survivors, well planned rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of the victim and ensure prosecution of offenders.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau’s report in 2021, Assam recorded 203 cases of human trafficking last year, the third highest after Telangana (347) and Maharashtra (320). As many as 460 people were trafficked outside the state that year, the highest in the Northeast.
As per Assam Police data, 690 cases of human trafficking have been registered in the police stations between 2020 and 2024. “The reported cases are an indication of the prevalence of the problem, but the actual numbers may differ as large number of victims are either never rescued or they are not comfortable to report the problem,” the policy stated.
Witch-hunting is a form of superstition, where a person (usually woman) is blamed for many things including deaths, illnesses, financial troubles or even crop damage in her surroundings and targeted by her relatives, neighbours or fellow villagers.
These ‘accused’ women are sometimes ex-communicated, forced to leave the village, tortured by kangaroo courts and in extreme cases even killed. In many cases, the real motives of these attacks are property disputes, ego clashes or something unrelated to the ills they have been blamed for.
According to the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, witch-hunting is a cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable offence. It is a gender-neutral law and any attempt to commit the crime is dealt with imprisonment and fine. The Assam Police data from 2022 to 2024 showed 32 cases registered under the 2018 Act.
