18 Arrested in Assam for Burning Couple Alive Over Witchcraft Suspicion
📅 January 3, 2026
✍️ Editor: Sudhir Choudhary, The Vagabond News
In a chilling reminder of how superstition-fuelled violence continues to haunt rural India, police in Assam have arrested 18 people for allegedly burning a couple alive after accusing them of practising witchcraft. The incident, which has triggered widespread outrage and renewed calls for stricter enforcement of anti-superstition laws, took place in a remote village earlier this week.
According to senior police officials, the victims—a middle-aged man and his wife—were dragged out of their home by a mob late at night after villagers accused them of being responsible for a series of illnesses and misfortunes in the area. Investigators said the couple was brutally assaulted before being set on fire in full public view. Both died on the spot due to severe burn injuries.
Brutal Killing Over Superstition
Police said preliminary investigations revealed that rumours of witchcraft had been circulating in the village for weeks. Several residents reportedly believed the couple possessed “evil powers” and blamed them for unexplained deaths of livestock and recurring sickness among children.
“The attack was premeditated and driven by blind belief,” a senior district police officer said. “The accused assembled as a group, forcibly took the victims out, assaulted them and set them ablaze. This was not a spontaneous act but a calculated crime.”
Local residents informed the police only after the mob dispersed, by which time the couple had already succumbed to their injuries. The bodies were later sent for post-mortem examination, which confirmed death due to extensive burns.
Arrests and Charges
Within hours of the incident, police launched a massive manhunt, detaining several suspects for questioning. By Friday, authorities confirmed the arrest of 18 individuals, including key instigators who allegedly spread rumours and mobilised villagers.
All the accused have been booked under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder, criminal conspiracy, rioting, and destruction of evidence. Police said additional charges under Assam’s anti-witch hunting law are also being invoked.
“We are treating this as a rarest-of-rare category crime,” the officer added. “Further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.”
Assam’s Long Battle With Witch-Hunting
Despite years of awareness campaigns, witch-hunting remains a grim reality in parts of Assam, particularly in isolated tribal and rural regions where access to education and healthcare remains limited. Women, the elderly, and socially marginalised individuals are often the primary targets.
Assam enacted the Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act in 2015, making accusations of witchcraft and related violence punishable with stringent jail terms. However, activists argue that poor implementation, social stigma, and fear of reprisal prevent victims from seeking help early.
Human rights groups say that superstition-driven crimes often mask deeper issues such as land disputes, personal vendettas, or attempts to exert social control. “Witch-hunting is rarely about belief alone,” a local activist noted. “It is frequently a tool used to justify extreme violence.”
Government and Police Response
The Assam government has sought a detailed report from district authorities and assured strict action against all those involved. Officials reiterated that no form of superstition-based violence would be tolerated and promised to intensify awareness programmes in vulnerable districts.
Police teams have been deployed in the village to prevent retaliatory violence and reassure residents. Counselling sessions and community meetings are also being planned to address fear and misinformation.
“This crime has shaken the conscience of society,” an official statement said. “We urge people to report rumours and threats before they escalate into violence.”
A Disturbing Pattern
The incident has reignited national debate over witch-hunting and mob justice in India. Experts warn that unless education, healthcare outreach, and legal enforcement improve simultaneously, such atrocities will continue to surface.
As the investigation continues, authorities say they are focusing not only on securing convictions but also on dismantling the network of misinformation that led to the killings.
The case stands as another stark reminder that superstition, when left unchecked, can lead to unspeakable brutality.
Source: Police officials and preliminary investigation details as reported by PTI and Hindustan Times.
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