SHIILLONG, April 28 � Members of a family escaped a fatal mob attack last evening at their residence adjoining Urban Affairs Minister, Founder Strong Cajee�s residence here, for allegedly practising witchcraft.
Hundreds of residents of Mawlai Phudmuri marched to the house of an elderly couple � Phil Mawlieh and Joseph Tongwah � and attacked them last evening at around 11.30 pm. The mob attack continued well past midnight before the police intervened and took control of the situation.
Relative of the victim�s family said, Reynold Mawlieh, the couple�s son, was flung from the third floor, but he survived with a fractured shoulder. The elderly couple also suffered injuries. The couple�s residence was ransacked and valuable household items were destroyed by the mob.
The attack, according to residents, started after Mawlieh and Tongwah�s neighbour, Bobby Massar blamed the couple for her daughter�s frequent illness.
Massar claimed that her daughter had a vision in her dream that Mawlieh and Tongwah had cast black magic on her thereby prolonging her illness.
Massar then informed some of the residents of the area about her daughter�s dream and armed with that bit of information hundreds of people gathered and attacked the family. The residents allege the family was practising Men-ai-Ksuid (devil worshipper.)
In Meghalaya, superstition about witchcraft and attack on alleged practitioners are common, especially in the rural areas. Myth about the Snake Vampire (Thlen) and its worshippers Menshohnoh is quite common in Khasi-Jaintia Hills.
