By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Ri-Bhoi district administration is yet to take any steps to help the family of Mawrong village in Ri-Bhoi district who were ostracized by the local Dorbar Shnong on allegations of practicing witchcraft.
It has been informed that Ri-Bhoi district SP CVS Reddy had directed Umsning Outpost officer in charge on May 31 to register a case on this matter and also to conduct a thorough investigation on the matter.
Sadly, the police failed to move forward with the investigation and help the family of Selukos Shadap to go back to their homes.
“We have not been able to go back to our homes. We are still taking temporary shelters in my in-laws place at Bhoirymbhong,” Shadap told reporters here on Wednesday.
He said that the life of his whole family is in total darkness since they are not sure when they would be able to go back to the village and lead a normal life.
“We are really struggling to meet our daily needs since I am jobless for the past few months. I have force to take loans from people to take care of my family,” Shadap said.
He however appealed the authorities to help resolving this problem.
The family of Selukos Shadap was ostracized by the local village dorbar on April 12.
Interestingly, the village dorbar could not cite any examples or incidence for alleging the family to be cut throats.
“I was called by the Rangbah Shnong Lambha Manik Syiem to attend the meeting of the village dorbar on April 11. As requested, I went to the village dorbar but shockingly the Rangbah Shnong informed that they decided to ostracize my whole family from the village on the allegation of being a menshohnoh,” Shadap who came along with his wife Bahunlang Rympei told reporters while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.
He also claimed that he was asked to sign on a paper to show that he accepts the decision of the village dorbar to ostracize him.
“I had no option but to sign the paper since I dared not confront before the village dorbar,”
He said that he had requested the Rangbah Shnong to explain the reasons for taking this drastic step against the family.
“He (Rangbah Shnong) refused to give reasons for such allegations,” Shadap said while maintaining that the Rangbah Shnong should have cited the incidents for making this allegation.
He said that it is an act of injustice for his family to be punished without knowing the reasons of the crime they have committed.