Branded ‘Witches’ in the 21st Century: Assam Family Forced to Survive in Forest for a Month

A disturbing case has come to the light from Assam's Cachar district, which will make one wonder where the society is heading to. Even in this modern 21st century packed with fast development and modern technology, superstition can still make people behave in an unthinkable way. 

This particular incident has been reported from an area dominated by the Khasi tribe under the Joypur Police Station in Cachar, where an eight-member Khasi family was allegedly labelled as “witches” and forced to leave their village by members of their own community.

The poor family stated that for quite a long time, they have been accused of practicing witchcraft. Situation was so worse that whenever anyone in the village fell ill, they were the one who were blamed always.

The situation took a turning point on February 10, when a group of villagers gathered and gave an ultimatum to the family, asking them to leave immediately. Failing which, as they recalled, they were threatened that their house would be destroyed and in the worst case scenario, they could even be killed.

Fearing for their lives, the eight-member family, including children, fled their home and took shelter in a nearby forest. For nearly a month, they family spent days in harsh conditions. They lived their lives like primitives, depending on tree leaves to fill their stomachs.

After weeks of suffering, the family finally managed to come out from the forest on Saturday and reached the Joypur Police Station asking for help. They were reportedly in such dire condition that they did not even have money to buy food. Moved by their situation, police personnel arranged meals for them on humanitarian grounds.

Bijju Khasiya has lodged a formal complaint at the Joypur Police Station on behalf of the family. In the FIR, around 10–15 individuals from the village have been named as accused.

Speaking to the media, the family members said, “We are extremely poor people and survive on daily wage labour. We barely manage to feed our family. How can we possibly have the time or ability to learn witchcraft? We have become homeless today only because of blind superstition.”

At present, the family has taken temporary shelter at the police station and has refused to return to their village unless strict action is taken against the accused and their safety is guaranteed.

The incident has attracted strong reactions from members of civil society, who have condemned the act and described it as a barbaric reminder of medieval practices. They have demanded justice for the victim family and called for stronger awareness and action against superstition-driven violence.

The episode reminds that despite rapid progress and modern development in some (or most?) parts of the society, the dark shadow of superstition still lingers in parts of society — often at a devastating human cost.

Also Read: Assam: Armed Miscreants Attack Two Businessmen in Boko, One Seriously Injured