By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A city court on Tuesday extended the police custody of 12 persons including six women, who were arrested in connection with August 16 incident at Smit in which three people were hacked to death by an angry mob for allegedly practising witchcraft, for another 10 days.
Soon after their arrest, all the accused, who were booked under sections 120 (B), 302, 353, 324, 325, 145, 147 and 148 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), were remanded to seven-day police custody.
The accused were arrested on Tuesday last for their alleged involvement in the brutal killing of three persons– Yesley Mawthoh, Besley Mawthoh and Enstarsing Nongdhar on suspicions that the trio was practising witchcraft on one Lam Nongrum (24).
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). One of the women arrested– Mildred Nongrum (40) is a government employee. She works as a Lower Division Assistant (LDA) in the office of the Inspectorate of Electricity.