After so many years of us becoming independent, an utterly shameful and heinous killing of five people in Bihar should have forced the government to introspect. The horrific mass killing in Tetgama village under Rajiganj Panchayat of Purnia district on the night of 6 July 2025, between 9 and 10 PM, in the name of superstition has shocked the entire region. Five members of a single family were first brutally beaten and then burned alive after being accused of witchcraft and black magic.

The CPIML sent a five-member fact-finding team to the village on 10 July. The team included Sulekha Devi, Islamuddin, Mokhtar, Sangeeta Devi, and Sita Devi. The team visited the site, spoke with the victim’s family and local residents, and investigated the facts.

The deceased include: Kato Devi (wife of late Sitaram Oraon, age 75), Babulal Oraon (son of late Sitaram Oraon, age 55), Sita Devi (wife of Babulal Oraon, age 52), Manjeet Oraon (son of Babulal Oraon, age 25), and Rani Devi (wife of Manjeet Oraon, age 23). All of them belonged to the same family.

The incident was rooted in superstitious beliefs. A few days earlier, a 10-year-old boy in the village died due to illness. On that very day, someone reportedly said, “These people must be killed and thrown away.” Later, on 6 July, when another boy complained of stomach pain, a woman from the victim's family was accused of being a witch, which led to this gruesome act.

The main accused in the incident are Ramdev Oraon, Chhotua Oraon, Nakul Oraon, Santlal Oraon, and Keshav Oraon - all residents of the same village, along with a mob, they burned the five victims alive and disposed of the bodies. Later, with the help of police sniffer dogs, three bodies were recovered.
Kato Devi is survived by four sons - Khubilal Oraon, Arjun Oraon, Jitendra Oraon, and Jagdish Oraon. They reported that the entire family has been living in terror since the incident. They are being continuously threatened and warned that if they testify, they too will be burned alive.

The CPI(ML) has demanded immediate arrest and strict legal action against all perpetrators involved in this massacre, protection for the surviving family members, particularly eyewitness Sonu Oraon, Rs. 50 lakh compensation for the victim’s family, and a permanent and safe house for Sonu Oraon in a secure location. Additionally, the team also called for enacting a strong anti-witch-hunting law to prevent such incidents in the future, immediate provision of basic amenities like roads, electricity, water, and schools in the village, and a state-wide awareness campaign against superstition.

The investigation team said this incident is also an outcome of organised violence and deep-rooted social injustice prevailing in the society. Even after 78 years of independence, villages like Tetgama continue to lack essential services, and Dalit-Adivasi communities are being targeted in the name of superstition. The state government must take this incident with utmost seriousness and ensure speedy justice and concrete action.