Birubala Rabha, a leading activist known from Assam for her decades-long crusade against witch-hunting despite the odds, passed away at the State Cancer Institute (GMC) here on Monday morning due to multi-organ failure.
She was battling oesophagus cancer since 2021. She was admitted to the institute on April 22 due to severe weakness and dizziness and shifted to the ICU on May 4 as her condition turned critical. She breathed her last at 9.23am.
A recipient of Padma Shri in 2021, the 75-year-old Rabha, hailing from Thakurvila village in lower Assam’s Goalpara district, played an instrumental role in the enactment of the stringent Prevention of and Protection from Witch Hunting Act, 2015, by the Assam government in 2018.
Rabha’s name was also proposed for the Nobel Peace Prize by a leading NGO, the Northeast Network, in 2005. In 2008, she was felicitated by Reliance Industries Limited at its 3rd edition of Real Heroes — celebrating ordinary people’s extraordinary service.
Mission Birubala, the NGO she founded in 2011, creates awareness about witch-hunting and supports survivors and potential victims. Witch-hunting still remains a cause of worry in certain tribal and tea garden areas.
The Assam government had apprised the state Assembly in 2011 that 107 people had been killed in witch-hunting incidents between 2011 and 2019. Witch-hunting cases are still reported but has come down in comparison. However, the figure of those killed in witch-hunting cases between 2010 and 2015 was as high as 77 and about 60 injured.
Rabha’s death was widely mourned and glowing tributes were paid to the school drop-out for her sustained campaign against witch-hunting.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was campaigning for the general elections in Punjab on Monday, said in a post on X that he was “deeply distressed” over the passing of Rabha.
“Through her untiring efforts to end social evils, she illuminated the paths of scores of women with hope and confidence. Rising through a challenging life, she epitomised courage against all odds. Assam will forever remain grateful for her leadership in serving society,” Sarma said.
Rabha’s last rites were performed at her native village in Goalpara on Monday with full state honour.