Witch hunt: Woman killed, dump at toilet, 8 arrested

In a tragic incident a woman over suspicion as a witch was kidnapped, killed and her body was dumped in an abandoned toilet at East Behalabari village under Champahowar police station of Khowai district and police has also arrested eight accused persons involved gruesome murder.

 The victim woman was identified as Kaushalya Ghatowal (45) and based on the confessional statements of arrested criminals, the body of the deceased woman  was recovered from a deserted lavatory on Friday morning . The accused arrested by the police include- Charitra Kanda, Mithun Kanda, Akash Kanda, Kajal Kanda, Sanjit Kanda, Bimal Kanda, Ajit Kanda and Chandan Tanti residents of Gandabasti under Champahowar police station. All the accused are reported to be the next of kin and kith of the murdered women.

Sources said that on Thursday Ranjan Kanda and Kaushalya Ghatowal were seen at the weekly market of Behalbari  from where a group of miscreants dragged her away in front of her husband. Reacting to the secret inputs received at 5 pm, the police personnel of Champahowar police station  recovered the body of  Kaushalya. During the course of investigation they collected the names of the accused from Ranjan Kanda, the husband of the victim woman.

Police sources added that arrested accused persons admitted the kidnapping of the lady. They claimed the lady to be a threat to society for being a real witch in human form. The body was recovered on the basis of the confessional statements of accused persons and post mortem, the body of the deceased woman was handed over to her relatives.