Mother and Infant Burned over Witch Allegations

In a harrowing incident in Jharkhand, India, a 32-year-old woman and her ten-month-old son were burned alive after being accused of practising witchcraft. Four individuals have been arrested in connection with the attack, while the woman’s husband, Kolhan Sinku, sustained severe burn injuries and is currently receiving treatment in hospital. Police have stated that they are continuing to search for additional suspects involved in the crime.

The attack occurred in the remote village of Kudsai, approximately 250 kilometres from Jharkhand’s capital, Ranchi. This predominantly tribal settlement consists of around fifty mud-built homes. The incident reportedly followed a series of local misfortunes, including the sudden deaths of livestock and the illness and subsequent death of a villager, Pustun Birua. Rumours quickly spread throughout the community, ultimately escalating into violence.

Pustun’s wife, Jano Birua, explained that her husband suffered repeated fainting episodes and extreme anxiety. With no trained medical professionals available locally, they sought the help of a quack practitioner. The practitioner found no visible illness in Pustun, but due to their poverty, the family could not afford to take him to a distant hospital. During this period, rumours circulated accusing Jyoti Sinku, the victim, of practising black magic and being responsible for Pustun’s illness.

On the evening of the attack, approximately twelve assailants, including five women, stormed the Sinku household. They set fire to Jyoti and her infant son. Kolhan Sinku, while recuperating in hospital, recounted the ordeal: “I pleaded with them to resolve the matter through the village panchayat or mediation, but they refused to listen.”

Based on testimonies from Kolhan and other family members, district police have registered cases of murder and criminal conspiracy. Four suspects have been taken into custody, and a special investigation team has been formed to apprehend the remaining perpetrators. Authorities have also announced plans to conduct awareness campaigns and community programmes to combat superstition in rural areas.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), between 2000 and 2016, more than 2,500 people in India were killed over suspicions of witchcraft, with women accounting for the majority of victims.

Witchcraft-Related Killings in India (2000–2016)

The tragic killings underscore the ongoing dangers of superstition and misinformation in rural India, highlighting the urgent need for education, healthcare access, and community awareness initiatives to prevent such atrocities in the future.