SHILLONG: Social Welfare Minister, Kyrmen Shylla on Tuesday said that incidents of killing in the name of witchcraft or any other suspicion will not be tolerated anymore.
“Our people should understand and should not take law into their own hands. Police is there. Let them take action if there are any suspicion and concerns,” said Shylla.
He reasoned that the state government and law are here to protect the public. “If the public starts taking law into their hands
what is the use of the state government and law,” he said.
Cautioning of stringent action, Shylla said, “No one should take law into their hands and should stop others from doing so as well. Such incidents should not be repeated”.
Asked for his opinion on the demand to enact stringent laws to deal with such kind of incidents, Shylla said, “We have to follow whatever law is available. If we need to strengthen it we should do it”.
Following the killing incident on the suspicion of practicing witchcraft in West Khasi Hills recently, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong had said that it was high time for the government to come up with stringent laws to end such kind of incidents.
This year alone there have been two incidents of killing on suspicion of witchcraft.
In March this year a group of boys from Madanrting and out on picnic were thrashed and one among them in his mid twenties killed by a group of villagers around Syntung on suspicion of witchcraft.
On October 7, a 90-year-old man Moris Marngar resident of Mawliehbah, West Khasi Hills was buried alive by his relatives on suspicion of practicing witchcraft.
