Main accused in witch-hunt case held

RANCHI: Namkum police on Saturday arrested Hindu Munda, one of 11 people accused in the 'witch-hunting' case of Huanghatu, from Rampur village. Munda is the prime suspect in leading the villagers to kill the couple accusing them of practising withcraft. Meanwhile, Munna Munda and Etwa Munda, the two sons of the slain couple, have been provided police protection and moved to a safe zone.
RSP Bhushan, officer-in-charge of Namkum PS told TOI, "We obtained a tip off about Hindu Munda's whereabouts in Rampur village, some four kilometres from Sukridih. We finally arrested him this morning and he is being interrogated about the other 10 accused."
Munda, who lost his three-year-old son to a sudden illness, has been named as the primary accused in the case. He will be charged under at least five IPC sections, including murder (302), unlawful assembly (149), wrongful confinement (342), rioting (147) and the Prevention of Witch Hunting Act, 2016.
The victims, Lohar Singh Munda (50) and Keyari Devi (45), were cremated outside Sukridih in presence of relatives from nearby villages and their sons. "Both Etwa and Munna Munda have been moved to a safe zone at a relative's place away from Sukridih. Their safety is a concern since the entire village had warned them of dire consequences if the incident got reported to police. They are under protection for now," Bhushan said.
As more details about the case came to light, the Munda brothers revealed that they were tonsured by the villagers accusing them of practising witchcraft. "While the male members were tonsured, my mother Keyari Munda was branded a witch and we had no option," Munna told police. Their family was also forced to sell their cattle to pay an 'Ojha' (witch doctor) to ward off the evil influence, which according to the villagers, was cast by them.
Bhushan said, "Most menfolk of the village have fled and the few women who have stayed back have no clue when others are going to return. We will be monitoring the area closely and search the nearby villages to trace the other accused at the earliest."