Purnia (Bihar) [India], July 8 : Purnia MP Pappu Yadav on Tuesday met with the kin of the five deceased who were allegedly burnt alive in Ranipatra village in the name of black magic on Monday.
While speaking to ANI, Pappu Yadav said that poor people cannot execute something like black magic or witchcraft and claimed that an "exorcist" came from outside to whom the victims went.
The Purnia MP said that the exorcist told villagers that there was a "witch" in the village and had done something to their child, and due to a superstition, the incident took place.
"I have been saying from the beginning that poor people cannot execute something like this... There was an exorcist outside, and they all went to him. That exorcist said that there is a witch in your village who has done something to your child, and due to this superstition, such a big incident happened", Pappu Yadav told ANI.
He further said that the tribal community doesn't engage in such practice and urged the eradication of such things from society.
"The tribal community doesn't engage in such practices; this major incident occurred solely due to superstition. We would request that all such superstitious things be eradicated from society", Pappu Yadav said.
Three main accused, including a minor, have been arrested after five members of a family were allegedly burnt alive on July 6 in Titgaon village of Bihar's Purnia district, in a suspected case of witchcraft-related violence.
Purnia District Magistrate Anshul Kumar visited the village following the incident. He told ANI, "This incident happened on 6th July. At night, five people were beaten up and burned alive. Yesterday, the police and administration recovered all the bodies. The post-mortem has been done, and the last rites have been performed. A case has been registered against around 23 named accused. An FIR has also been registered against 150-200 unidentified people. The police have caught the main accused... In regard to this case, 3 people have been caught, of whom one is a minor."