Cases of assault over allegation of witchcraft continues in the tribal state of Jharkhand even after a bill against mob-lynching has been passed in the Assembly.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau data for 2019, Jharkhand was ranked third in witch-hunting cases and recorded 15 murders related to the crime. Chhattisgarh with 22 witch-hunting deaths tops the list.

Two brothers, Sanjay Oraon, 32, and Ajay, 28, were beaten by a mob of villagers after being tied to a pole over the allegation against their mother Mahadamia Devi, wife of Hari Oraon, in Lakeya village under the Sisai police station in Gumla district, around 70km from Ranchi, on Saturday.

The mob had gone to their house searching for their mother but when they tried to save her by refusing to reveal their mother’s whereabouts they were taken to a place and tied to a electric pole and beaten before being rescued by Sisai police.

“We got the information in the early hours of Sunday about the beating and rushed to the village to find villagers assaulting two youths. The villagers escaped seeing us.

“We rescued the youths and got them admitted to the Sisai hospital from where Ajay had to be referred to Gumla Sadar Hospital with serious injuries on the eye,” said Sisai police station officer-in-charge Krishna Kumar Tiwari.

The police officer informed that FIR against 11 persons has been lodged by the two brothers in the police station.

“We have managed to nab four of them who have confessed to the crime. We are searching for other villagers as they are absconding. The exact reason for assaulting the brothers is being investigated,” said Tiwari.

Those arrested and sent to jail include Bolba Oraon, 30, Jagatpal Oraon, 28, Praveen Oraon, 26, and the minor son of Bolba Oraon.

Victim Sanjay Oraon has in the complaint with police informed that Bolwa Oraon, Moti Oraon, Lakeya panchayat head Sukra Oraon, Praveen Oraon, Jagatpal Oraon, Vishwanath Oraon, Rohit Oraon, Amit Oraon, Vijay Oraon, Ranthu Oraon, Rama Oraon arrived at their house around 9pm and took him and his younger brother Ajay Oraon and tied them to an electric pole and started beating them accusing their mother of practising witchcraft.

Sanjay has further alleged that even five months ago, the accused had assaulted his parents by accusing them of witch-hunting. Their mother Mahadamiya Devi and father Hari Oraon had reached the police station to register an FIR, but the case was not registered.

Police sources claim the incident was a fallout of a land dispute.

“Those who had beaten the brothers are also distant relatives of the victims. We have come to know about some land dispute which has been leading to fights earlier too,” said the source.