A young woman and her 10-month-old son were brutally murdered in India – they were burned alive after allegations of witchcraft, local police said
The tragedy took place earlier this week in the eastern state of Jharkhand.
Four people have already been detained on suspicion of murder.
The deceased man, Jyoti Sinku, was trying to protect his family and suffered severe burns. He is currently in hospital.
Police say they are looking for other possible participants in the attack. The detainees are in custody and have yet to make public statements.
Killing superstitions
According to India’s National Crime Records Bureau, between 2000 and 2016, more than 2,500 people – mostly women – were killed in the country on suspicion of witchcraft.
The murder of Jyoti Shinku and her son came just months after) Meanwhile, rumours started spreading in the village that Jyoti Shinku was allegedly practising witchcraft and was responsible for her husband’s illness.
Photo by Mohammad Sartaj Alam/BBC
Pustun Birua died on Tuesday night.
That same night, according to the deceased’s husband Kolhan Shinku, a mob of about a dozen people, including women, broke into their home.
The attackers set his wife and child on fire.
As he lay in hospital, he recalled his horror: “I begged them to solve everything through the village council, but the attackers did not listen to me”.
Based on the testimony of Kolhan Shinku and another. O relative, the police have opened a case under articles of murder and criminal conspiracy.
Four men have already been arrested and they have set up a special team to search for others involved in the attack.
Law enforcers also said they plan to conduct educational programmes in rural areas to combat prejudice.