‘Witch’ couple lynched

NEW DELHI // A couple accused of witchcraft in eastern India suffered a fatal beating by a mob, the second such killing in the region in two weeks.

Police yesterday said they had arrested three people in connection with the lynching. The victims were both in their late sixties and were suspected of using black magic to kill their neighbours in a tribal district of Jharkhand state.

After rumours spread that they had killed four people with witchcraft, a mob set upon them, battering them and burning down their house.

“The accused said they killed the couple in revenge for the death of their four relatives, who they believe were killed by the couple using witchcraft,” said a policeman.

Last week, in another village in the same region, a woman, 60, was burnt to death by her neighbour who suspected her of having used black magic to kill a newborn baby.

Police arrested the neighbour on charges of murder.

Experts say belief in the occult is widespread in many tribal and remote areas, where incidents of human sacrifices have been reported.

More than 2,000 people were killed in India on suspicion of witchcraft between 2000 and 2012, according to the most recent figures from the national crime records bureau.

Some states have introduced laws to try to curb crimes against people accused of witchcraft and superstition.