By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The growing scourge of superstition, which has repeatedly raised its ugly head in the recent times, is perhaps, currently, tormenting the society more than it ever did.
The spree of attacks on people led by the traditional belief of practicing black magic continues in the State with the killing of three persons suspected to be Men-ai-ksuid at Smit village here on Friday evening.
Three persons identified as Yesley Mawthoh, Besley Mawthoh and Enstarsing Nongdhar lost their lives when they were brutally attacked by an angry mob at Iew Smit on suspicions that the trio was involved in practicing witchcraft, causing serious injuries to one Lam Nongrum, who is the nephew of Yesley and Besley Mawthoh.
It may be mentioned that after 13 years, such an incident had struck the village once again where precious lives were lost as a result of the allegations made.
The whole incident started when one Lam Nongrum (24) was found lying unconscious, stripped naked with a bruised face at the bank of the river Umiew.
According to Lam’s sister Barishisha Nongrum, her brother went missing on August 14 and it was on August 15 when he was found lying naked at the bank of the river with his face and body covered in sand.
He was taken to the PHC but due to the inability of the doctors to treat him, he was later shifted to Nazareth Hospital in the emergency section.
The two families were never close and according to Barishisha, they were never allowed to go to both their uncles’ house due to reasons unknown.
“It was my father who had forbid us from going to our uncles’ house but we never knew the reason behind this prohibition,” she added.
The members of the Dorbar Shnong were also present when the seven persons were at Lam’s house. “It was during the course of conversation, when the mob forcefully came inside the house and dragged all the seven persons outside and lynched them,” she added.
Meanwhile, voicing his version of the story, Besley’s son, Aiborlang Nongdhar mentioned that he along with his father and uncle and four of his brothers went to Lam’s house with an intention to enquire about the health of Lam.
“However, unwilling to resolve the matter over talks, the public, most of them under the influence of alcohol dragged the seven persons from their house and attacked them like animals,” Nongdhar said adding that his father even agreed to the Dorbar’s proposal to leave town but the public were not willing to accept the decision taken by them and without any warning broke loose upon them and mercilessly beat them up.
“We were separated and were clueless about the ugly turn of events. Four of us managed a narrow escape but my father, my uncle and my brother were dragged like animals from place to place and were killed in the attack,” Nongdhar said.
Nongdhar also mentioned that the Dorbar had decided in the meeting held on Saturday morning not to allow the bodies of the trio to be brought to the village and perform the last rituals.
“We are now in a jinx; we don’t know what to do. We were asked to take the permission of the rangbah shnong of Urmasi Umjoh and Pynshongkhla to perform the last rituals as the cremation ground and the road leading to the ground is located within the jurisdiction of the two Rangbah Shnongs,” he said.
Nongdhar also mentioned that they are yet to approach the two Rangbah Shnongs. They were also awaiting the final decision of the Dorbar Shnong in this regard. “Depending on the version of Lam, the dorbar will decide accordingly and whatever the decision, we will accept and respect it,” he said.
He also stated that if the allegations against his father and his uncle turned out to be true, “Then, in that case, even we will not be in a position to protect them, the law can take its own course but that does not mean, we will be put in harm’s way as we have no knowledge about such a thing being practiced in our family,” he added.
The Dorbar which was held on Saturday following Friday’s incident have resolved to act accordingly only after getting the facts and hearing the version of the injured person, Lam Nongrum who is currently undergoing treatment at Nazareth hospital.