Five members of a family were found dead under suspcious circumstances in Bihar’s Purnea district on Sunday. The incident in Tetma village under the Muffasil Police Station limits came to light early Monday when a 16-year-old survivor, Sonu Kumar — who was staying at a relative’s house — contacted police. He reported that his family had been burnt alive.
Black Magic Or Lynching? Probe Underway
According to preliminary police findings, the victims — identified as Sita Devi, Kali, Rani Devi, Babu Lal, and Manjeet Ram — were assaulted, killed and then transported on a tractor to a nearby bush where their bodies were set ablaze. Investigators believe 30 to 40 villagers were present during the brutal assault.
BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain told ANI, “This is a very unfortunate incident. The investigation is ongoing, and those involved will not be spared. Because there are different types of reports—some saying it’s black magic while some saying it’s lynching—the police are investigating all the information to clear the whole situation.”
Three suspects have been arrested so far, and several others detained. Senior officials, including DIG Pramod Kumar Mandal, have visited the crime scene, along with forensic teams and a dog squad. Mandal noted that tensions in the village had been simmering following the recent death of a child, which some villagers may have linked to black magic.
Police have not ruled out the possibility that the killings were premeditated under the guise of superstition, pointing to deep-rooted beliefs still prevailing in parts of rural Bihar. The gruesome nature of the case has prompted fierce political backlash. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav blamed the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government for deteriorating law and order in the state, pointing to a pattern of rising violent crimes.
