NONGSTOIN: In what was expected, the Nongstoin Police, on Monday, exhumed the body of a 90-year-old man who was recently buried alive by his kin over allegations of practising witchcraft at a village in West Khasi Hills.
Also present during the exhumation were the District Magistrate, a doctor and the villagers of Mawliehbah Mawnar.
The villagers enrolled voluntarily to exhume the body of Moris Marngar (earlier reported as Boris), after receiving the District Magistrate’s order.
It took more than half an hour to exhume the body out of a pit five feet deep. When the body was finally recovered, the officials and the villagers could see that the hands and legs were tied up; legs covered by a sack and tied up with a rope while the face was covered by a cloth.
Going by the appearance of the exhumed body, Moris must have struggled for his life but succumbed to the force of too many people.
Inside the pit, it was visible that Moris was buried with a Cross and many stones to ensure that he could not escape.
The doctor and health officials conducted the post-mortem examination besides all legal formalities in the presence of the magistrate and police.
The Shillong Times also visited the house where Moris was confined before being buried alive and met his nephews.
Yesparius Marngar and Barslomius Marngar told this scribe that they made the right decision albeit it was wrong to do so, as he had cast evil spell on his niece, Sildaris Marngar, and other family members too.
Yesparius, who narrated the story, said that despite multiple attempts to make their uncle desist from practicing witchcraft, he continued and even cast evil spells on his family members. He added that Sildaris was sick for the last three months allegedly due to evil spells cast by Moris and she had also seen him sit atop and strangulate her many times.
When asked, Yesparius informed that she has recovered from her sickness following the death of their uncle.
Meanwhile, one of the members of Mawliehbah Mawnar Sport Club said that he was a supporter of the club and would be present at every match of theirs.
Speaking exclusively with The Shillong Times, BS Roy Nongphud, Secretary of Mawliehbah Mawnar, informed that the village Durbar has condemned the incident while also stating that losing Moris was a loss for the village as he was a man of good reputation.
Nongphud said that such an incident, especially living in the 21st century, only raises questions on the society, where witchcraft and menshohnoh should not be accepted.
He exhorted the villagers to desist from believing in superstitions and urged higher authority to take action against those involved in the crime.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, B Kharjana, informed that there were 18 family members who were involved in the vivisepulture of Moris while eight of them were arrested and others were still at large.
On Sunday, police had arrested five persons — Walphanus Marngar (32), Exstarning Marngar (52), Beransius Marngar (30), Kyrshanborlang Marngar (25) and Michalpol Marngar (27) — all relatives of Moris, for their involvement in the crime.
Earlier on Saturday, police had arrested the three main accused – Densil Marngar (40), Jales Marngar (27) and Diberwell Marngar (30).
three persons were arrested for reportedly burying one Boris Marngar alive at Nongdisong village in West Khasi Hills, police on Sunday arrested five more while also seeking approval to exhume the body.
The arrested persons — are all relatives of the deceased.
The police have submitted an appeal to the West Khasi Hills District Magistrate seeking approval to exhume the body for inquest, and asked the DM to depute a magistrate and doctor for spot post-mortem examination of the body.
Formalities will be observed on Monday morning after obtaining the order from the district magistrate.
On the other hand, narrating the story, Mildres Lyngkhoi, daughter of Boris Marngar, said around 7-8 people including his nephews arrived at their residence on October 6, around 7 pm, and forcibly took Boris to Nongdisong village on the pretext of an important work in the village. Since then his whereabouts were not known, she added.
An FIR was filed with Nongstoin Police Station on the disappearance of Boris from Mawliehbah Mawnar, and on receipt of the information, the officer in-charge and other police personnel from outpost visited Mawliehbah Mawnar for conducting inquiry.
After inquiry, it was ascertained that on October 6, the group had taken Boris from his residence and confined him inside the house of his niece, Sildaris Marngar. The next day, around 7 pm, they took Boris from the house of Sildaris to a place called Pordidoh, which is located at Nongdisong village, and allegedly buried him alive over allegation that he was practicing witchcraft and had cast an evil spell on his niece (Sildaris) as a result of which she had been suffering for three months.
Police arrested three main accused in the case identified as Densil Marngar (40), Jales Marngar (27) and Diberwell Marngar (30), all residents of Nongdisong village.