New Delhi – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Bihar government and the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) after reports surfaced that five members of a Scheduled Tribe family in Purnia district were brutally hacked to death and their bodies burned over suspicions of witchcraft.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports which claimed that three women and two men from the same family were killed by a violent mob on the night of July 6.
The commission has sought a detailed report within two weeks from the Chief Secretary and the DGP, including the status of the investigation, any arrests made, and measures taken to protect the sole surviving family member, a 16-year-old boy who witnessed the horrific incident.
The NHRC observed that if the news reports are accurate, the case presents grave human rights violations.
“The NHRC has also directed the state government to ensure the safety of the 16-year-old boy, the sole surviving member and an eyewitness to the incident, and to provide him proper counselling,” the statement said.
According to media reports published on July 8, the teenager told police that a mob of around 50 people stormed their home, accusing his mother of practising witchcraft. The attackers allegedly beat her with bamboo sticks and then attacked other family members who tried to intervene.
The statement further mentioned that the mob hacked all five victims to death in front of the boy, then dragged the bodies about 100 to 150 metres away from the house and set them ablaze.
The attack was reportedly sparked by a local belief that the family had caused the illness and death of a boy in the village through witchcraft.
The NHRC has strongly condemned the incident and emphasized the need for swift action and justice, while also addressing the safety and psychological well-being of the minor survivor.