GUWAHATI, Oct 24 � As another incident of torture and illegal confinement of three women on allegations of practising �witchcraft� has come to light in Tinsukia district, strong demand is being raised to handle the culprits with an iron fist for discouraging other such incidents.
Social activist Dibyajyoti Saikia, who has been raising voice for a strong and proper mechanism to deal with witch-hunting cases in the State, said that police must take swift action to arrest the culprits, and other State machinery, like the State Women�s Commission must be pressed into action for creating awareness.
�The incident took place yesterday at Kumsang under the Kakopathar Police Station in Tinsukia district, where three women were detained and beaten up by the villagers holding them responsible for an unknown disease. One local quack, Santosh Dhanwar and his accomplice of Tongna area, who were �treating� a 13-year old boy, had told the villagers that those three women were responsible for the disease,� said Saikia.
Though the police this morning rescued Dangi Orang (45) of Kumsang, and Mala Bhumij (45) and Ratani Kundu (55) of Hatidua Tea Estate from the hands of a superstitious mob, the main culprits behind this incident are still at large.
Alleging that despite having the necessary infrastructure and power, the State Women�s Commission has failed to create awareness or rehabilitate the victims of such incidents, he said that an intensive and sustained awareness campaign must be taken up in rural pockets and far-flung areas so that the people are not misled by the anti-social elements.
