Meghalaya police rescue man accused of practicing ‘witchcraft’ in Lawmei

Shillong, Oct 18: The police on Friday rescued a person from an irate mob intent on lynching him on charges of practising ‘witchcraft’.

The incident occurred at Lawmei, Diengiei, under the Mylliem block of East Khasi Hills district. The area is located on the suburbs of the Meghalaya capital. On hearing from the headmen of Lawmei that the victimised person was confined to the Lawmei community hall, a police team rushed to the site to rescue him.

The rescued person has been identified as Nicolas Lyngkhoi (39), a resident of Ktiehthawiar, Mawshynrut, in West Khasi Hills district. Lyngkhoi said that he is a woodcutter. On Thursday evening, he was going to a relative’s house at Umthlong, Sohiong, but on the way he took shelter for the night at a shed in Lawmei due to cold weather.

However, the owner of the shed and others in the locality raised an alarm in the morning and accused him of being a ‘menshonoh’ (practitioner of ‘witchcraft’). Timely intervention by the elders of the village and the police saved his life.

The ‘menshonoh’ is an age-old superstitious belief in the Khasi Hills.

Several people lost their lives due to this superstition over the years. A few days back, a mentally challenged person was rescued by the police after he was accused of being a ‘menshonoh’ when found wandering around at Kynroh Nongbri village near Mawphlang.

Last year, two men were rescued by the police from Mawthlong village near Nongbsap in East Khasi Hills district. They were tied to poles and thrashed by villagers.

In 2013, three members of a family were hacked to death at Smit, just outside the State capital, again on charges of practising ‘witchcraft’.

By Staff Correspondent