By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Police have arrested 12 persons including six women in connection with August 16 incident at Smit in which three people were hacked to death by an angry mob for allegedly practising witchcraft.
All the 12 were remanded to seven-day police custody on Tuesday.
A team from the East Khasi Hills district police visited Smit on Monday and subsequently detained three women for interrogation.
Based on the statement of the three detained persons, police on Tuesday arrested another nine people. All of them were booked under sections 120 (B), 302, 353, 324, 325, 145, 147 and 148 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The arrested persons are Barishisha Nongrum (22), Meristylla Nongrum (38), Badnosha Nongrum (40), Rajeshwell Nongrum (39), Samuel Nongrum (35),Risuklang Nongrum (30), Sirus Nongrum, (49), Baladeimon Nongrum(30), Mildred Nongrum (40), Hapliang Nengnong (45), Donbokskhem Nongrum(28), and Lius Nongrum (50).
All the arrested are relatives of the three people — Yesley Mawthoh, Besley Mawthoh and Enstarsing Nongdhar – who were killed on Friday last by a mob after being accused of practising witchcraft on one Lam Nongrum (24).
Cases of murder and attacking police personnel on duty besides damaging government vehicles have been registered against the arrested people.
Talking to reporters on Tuesday East Khasi Hills SP M Kharkrang said, “We will see that such cases are investigated well and all involved be dealt with as per law.”
According to Kharkrang, police are also looking at the conspiracy angle and the next seven days would crucial as far as collecting evidence is concerned.
Stating that an anti-superstition Bill will help in reducing the menace, Kharkrang, however, said that there were many sections of Indian Penal Code which were framed to restrict such evils. Meanwhile, SP (City) Vivek Syiem also stressed on the need for society to understand the root cause of such incidents and advocated the need for traditional institutions and society to play an important role in curbing down the menace.