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Published : 21 Feb 2026, 08:07 PM
Four people have been arrested in India’s Jharkhand for allegedly burning a woman and her 10-month-old son to death over accusations of practising witchcraft.
The incident occurred earlier this week at the Kudsai hamlet, a remote tribal settlement located 250km from the state capital Ranchi, according to the BBC.
The victim’s husband also sustained serious burn injuries and is currently receiving treatment in the hospital.
Police are continuing efforts to locate more suspects who may have been involved.
The BBC reported that the arrestees are in custody and have not issued any public statements.
The National Crime Records Bureau says over 2,500 people, the majority of them being women, were killed across India between 2000 and 2016 over accusations of practising witchcraft.
Jyoti Sinku and her infant were murdered months after another incident in Bihar, where five members of the same family were “burnt alive” following similar accusations.
Such incidents are frequently reported in disadvantaged tribal regions, where deep-rooted superstition prevails and limited access to healthcare forces residents to rely on untrained practitioners, the BBC reports.
The violence may have been fuelled by recent incidents in the village, including rumours of unexplained cattle deaths and the illness of a resident named Pustun Birua.
His wife Jano Birua said she sought help from an informal healthcare provider when her husband began experiencing anxiety and fainting.
She was told he did not have a physical medical condition.
About taking her husband to the hospital, the BBC quoted her as saying: “We are poor people, so it wasn't possible to take him that far.”
Meanwhile, rumours began circulating that Jyoti was responsible for his illness through witchcraft.
Pustun died on Tuesday. Jyoti’s husband Kolhan Sinku said a large group, including several women, forced their way into their home that night and set his family on fire.
The BBC added that police have filed charges of murder and criminal conspiracy based on statements from Kolhan and another relative.
Alongside the arrests, a special police unit has been formed to identify and apprehend other suspects.
They also said they intend to conduct awareness campaigns in rural areas to counter superstitious beliefs.
