BONGAIGAON, Jan 18 - Police arrested eight persons on Wednesday night on charges of killing a couple on suspicion of being witches at Aie-Powali in Chirang district on the previous night.
The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate of Chirang district judicial court, Kajalgaon sent the accused to judicial custody on Thursday afternoon after they were produced by the police.
The victims were identified as Liku Sutradhar (70) and Letheru Sutradhar (60), residents of Aie-Powali, a backward hamlet along the India-Bhutan border in the district.
The victims� son Naren (32), who is one among the accused in the case, had killed his parents by branding them as witches along with his seven friends of the hamlet. They assaulted the elderly couple with sticks and clubs on Tuesday night, thus killing them on the spot.
Later, police first picked up Naren and then his seven friends and registered a case No. 3/2019 under sections 120 (B)/147/148/149/302/201 of IPC against them.
Police subsequently recovered the bodies of the victims which were buried under sand beside the Aie river around 500 away from the victims� residence and sent them for post mortem.
Police on Thursday produced the accused Naren Sutradhar, Robin Sutradhar, Boston Sutradhar, Sibu Sutradhar, Alen Sutradhar, Deni Sutradhar, Puspa Sutradhar and Laxman Sutradhar before the court, who were subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
According to Officer-in-Charge of Runikhata Police Station Manoj Narzary, the case is related to witch-hunting.
