Man kills mother accusing her of witchcraft behind daughter’s death

By Pramod Ravidas | November 4, 2025

Dumka, Jharkhand, INDIA: A 41-year-old man in Jharkhand’s Dumka district allegedly murdered his 70-year-old mother, accusing her of practising witchcraft that he believed caused the death of his teenage daughter. The shocking incident took place on October 28 in Bhadra Digha village under Gopikandar police station limits, police said.

The accused, identified as Ramjan Hembram, reportedly stabbed his mother, Muni Soren, multiple times after confronting her over the alleged “black magic.” The elderly woman, who had been living at her daughter’s in-laws’ house in Digha village to escape repeated assaults by her son, was rushed to Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital in Dumka with grievous injuries. Despite efforts to save her, she succumbed to her wounds on November 2.

According to Gopikandar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sumit Bhagat, Hembram had been consumed by suspicion ever since his 18-year-old daughter died of illness a few months ago. “During her illness, the girl reportedly told her father that her grandmother was the reason behind her suffering. After the girl’s death, Ramjan became convinced that his mother had used witchcraft to kill her,” Bhagat said.

Police investigations revealed that Hembram had attacked his mother in the past, prompting her to leave their native Madhuban village, about 15 km away, and take refuge in Digha. On the night of October 28, after consuming alcohol, he allegedly decided to “end the curse” and went to Digha armed with a knife. In a drunken rage, he stabbed his mother repeatedly before fleeing the scene.

The victim’s daughter later lodged a complaint, leading to Hembram’s arrest from his native village. Police have recovered the murder weapon and blood-stained clothes used in the crime. During interrogation, the accused confessed to killing his mother, saying he believed she was responsible for his daughter’s death through witchcraft.

Police have registered a case of murder under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and produced the accused before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody.

Authorities have also expressed concern over the persistence of witchcraft-related violence in rural Jharkhand. Officer Bhagat said that efforts are being made to launch awareness campaigns under the Jharkhand Witchcraft Prevention Act, 2001, particularly in remote tribal areas where such superstitions remain prevalent.

“We are planning to collaborate with the District Legal Services Authority (DALSA) to organize awareness sessions in villages located deep in forested regions, where illiteracy and superstition often lead to such tragic incidents,” Bhagat added.

Jharkhand has witnessed several witchcraft-related killings in recent years, despite legal measures and public awareness efforts aimed at curbing the menace.