SHILLONG: Even as innocent lives are lost due to abhorrent incidents of violence perpetrated on suspicion of practicing menshohnoh (witchcraft), the Meghalaya Government has no immediate plan for enacting law to put a check on such horrific practices.
Home Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui confirmed on Tuesday that there was no move to bring any law in this regard “as of now”, although there are some within the MDA Government who favour the idea.
The need for having a Bill assumes significance as this year alone, in separate incidents two persons lost their lives on suspicion of practicing witchcraft. Both the incidents have evoked wide revulsion in the community.
The macabre incident of burying a nonagenarian alive in a remote village in West Khasi Hills recently
) over suspicion of practice of witchcraft has caused a shock wave across the state and earlier this year, a group of youths who were out in a picnic were beaten to a pulp by the villagers at Syntung. One in his mid twenties succumbed to his injuries and all of this on mere suspicion of witchcraft.
Official sources said that state Law department and Social Welfare department have no knowledge of any such move. In the absence of any specific law, Police register such cases as any other murder and criminal conspiracy.
It may be mentioned that after the live burial in West Khasi Hills recently, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong and Chairman of the State Planning Board, Lambor Malngiang had favoured the state government to come up with stringent laws to deter such crimes.
Mentionably, the neighbouring Assam, which also witnesses fatalities due to mob violence on similar frenzy, has the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act 2015. The Assam Act says that the punishment for identifying and calling as witch and for such abetment is punishment with imprisonment for not be less than three years but can extend upto seven years with a fine which shall not be less than Rs 50,000 but which may extend to Rs five lakh.