Severe caning by exorcist leads to death of 12-year-old girl in Assam

The exorcist lashed the ailing girl repeatedly to rid her of so-called evil spirits in the state’s Karimganj district.

Updated on: Jun 5, 2017, 15:03:36 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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A 12-year-old girl died in Assam on Sunday after she was allegedly lashed repeatedly with a cane by an exorcist to rid her of so-called evil spirits.

A 12-year-old girl died in Assam on Sunday after she was allegedly lashed repeatedly with a cane by an exorcist to rid her of evil spirits. (Representative image)

The victim, Asmana Begum of Ratanpur in Karimganj district, was suffering from fever for the past few days. But instead of taking her to a hospital, her father took her to Mohammad Ali, a local exorcist.

According to reports, the accused told Asmana’s father that she had been possessed by evil spirits and needed to be treated to rid her of them.

As part of the ‘treatment’, Mohammad allegedly flogged the victim, a student of Class 8, severely with a cane all over her body.

Asmana succumbed to her injuries on Sunday.

The police registered a case of murder based on a complaint by the girl’s father and have arrested the accused.

While reports in local dailies mention caning to be the primary cause of Asmana’s death, police are yet to substantiate it.

“We are waiting for the post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of death,” Superintendant of Police Gaurav Upadhyay informed HT, adding the accused ‘mishandled’ the victim.

Last November, a 4-year-old girl was sacrificed to propitiate god by a witch doctor in Charaideo district of eastern Assam, allegedly to recover the lost mobile phone of one of his clients.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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