In a horrifying incident that has shocked the nation, five members of a single family were brutally murdered and their bodies burned by a mob in Tetgama village, Purnea district, Bihar. The victims, all from the Oraon tribal community, were allegedly accused of practising witchcraft, triggering a violent outburst driven by superstition and mob mentality.
The Grim Night: Attack Fueled by Fear and Folklore
The tragedy unfolded late Sunday night, when most residents of Tetgama were asleep. A mob of around 50 people, armed with bamboo sticks, barged into the home of Sita Devi and her husband Babulal Oraon, accusing them of performing "black magic" that had allegedly caused recent deaths and illnesses in the village.
According to the family’s 16-year-old son Sonu Kumar, who miraculously escaped the attack, the mob thrashed his parents and other family members—Manjeet Oraon, Rania Devi, and Tapto Mosmat—before setting them on fire. Their charred bodies were later found dumped and partially hidden under water hyacinth in a nearby pond.
The Spark: Superstition and a Child’s Death
Police investigations revealed that the attack was apparently triggered by the death of a child from the family of Ramdev Oraon, a fellow villager. Another child in Ramdev’s family had also fallen ill. These misfortunes were irrationally blamed on the alleged “witchcraft” practised by Sita Devi’s family.
Officials say that traditional tribal healing practices, known locally as jhaad-phook and tantra-mantra, may have been at the root of the tension. The victims were believed to be practitioners of these rituals, which many in the village feared.
“Prima facie, it appears the incident was sparked by superstition and a belief in black magic,” confirmed Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Sadar Purnea. He added that the victims were first beaten to death and then set ablaze, confirming the mob’s premeditated intent.
The Lone Witness: A Teenager’s Terrifying Escape
Sonu Kumar, the surviving son of the family, managed to flee and take refuge with relatives. He was the first to inform the police of the massacre. Despite being deeply traumatised, Sonu gave a statement stating, "Villagers came with bamboo sticks and started beating everyone, calling my mother a witch. No one in the village tried to stop them."
Due to his psychological state, no formal FIR had initially been registered, although police later initiated proceedings based on his account. His testimony pointed to widespread involvement, implicating not just a few individuals but potentially the entire village in the brutal crime.
Police Response and Arrests
Law enforcement agencies responded swiftly. Four charred bodies were recovered from a nearby pond. As of now, three suspects have been arrested, including a man named Nakul Kumar, accused of inciting the mob. Raids are ongoing, and police believe that many more villagers may have been complicit in the crime.
DIG (Purnea Range) Pramod Kumar Mandal and SP Sweety Sehrawat confirmed the tribal and communal nature of the attack, describing it as “deeply rooted in superstition and fear.”
The entire village has since been abandoned, and security forces, along with forensic teams and a dog squad, have been deployed to maintain order and gather evidence.
पूर्णिया में एक ही परिवार के 5 लोगों को जिंदा जलाकर मार दिया।
DK Tax के कारण बिहार में अराजकता चरम पर, DGP/CS बेबस, कानून व्यवस्था ध्वस्त
परसों सिवान में 3 लोगों की नरसंहार में मौत।
विगत दिनों बक्सर में नरसंहार में 3 की मौत।
भोजपुर में नरसंहार में 3 की मौत।
अपराधी सतर्क,…— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) July 7, 2025
Political Uproar: Tejashwi Yadav Blames State Government
The heinous killings have triggered widespread condemnation and political outrage, particularly from RJD leader and Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his fury.
“In Purnia, five members of the same family were burned alive. Law and order in Bihar has completely collapsed. The DGP and Chief Secretary are helpless,” he posted. He also cited recent massacres in Siwan, Buxar, and Bhojpur, accusing the Nitish Kumar government of incompetence and calling the Chief Minister “unconscious” to the rising tide of violence.
He further alleged that the state is controlled not by elected leaders but by “DK”—a cryptic reference possibly aimed at a powerful political figure—whom he blamed for the breakdown of governance.
Recurring Pattern: Witch-Hunt Killings Still Haunt Rural India
This tragic incident is not an isolated one. Witch-hunting and violence driven by superstition are still distressingly common in rural and tribal parts of India. Victims are often women or entire families, accused without proof, and subjected to mob justice in the absence of education and law enforcement.
Such killings reflect a larger systemic failure—a lack of awareness, poor community outreach by health and education services, and slow, reactive policing in deeply rural zones.
A Brutal Reminder of the Cost of Superstition
The Purnea massacre is a grim reminder of how deadly ignorance and mob mentality can be. In the 21st century, entire families are still falling victim to age-old fears dressed up as accusations of witchcraft.
While arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing, the real challenge lies in uprooting the deep-seated superstitions and educating communities about science, healthcare, and legal rights. Until then, tribal belts across India remain vulnerable to such eruptions of mob violence in the name of superstition.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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