28/03/2026
OSC, Goalpara had been informed about a repetitive case of Witch Hunting by Mamoni Saikia Baideu, DPC, AMSS and SSA, Goalpara on the 23rd of July, 2025. The survivor had already registered a case of Witch Hunting in the year 2021 and the case is on process in the court. Sadly, she has again been facing the same harassment but, this time, the accused persons are different. The accused person hailing from the same village as that of the survivor’s, claimed that she (the survivor) is the cause of his (accused’s) son’s death. His son (12 years) had been ill since some days and they had been treating him with the help of an Ojha. Due to lack of medical attention, the accused’s son died but the Ojha brainwashed them into thinking that the survivor had caused their son’s death. Right after their son’s death, the accused’s wife also fell ill due to reasons unknown and that has also been put up on the survivor’s head. The survivor, helpless, visited OSC, Goalpara along with her husband on 24th July, 2025 and she was provided with psychosocial support and proper counseling. The survivor was taken to SP Office by OSC team for quick action on the case and OSC team also assisted her in writing FIR.
On 25th July, 2025, Agia Police team called in a translator for ease of understanding as the survivor and the accused persons were more likely to speak Garo language. Sakhi-OSC, Goalpara along with the support of Agia Police team, Sikha Moni Madam, ACS, Co-District Commissioner, Agia, Goalpara and Mamoni Saikia Baideu, DPC, AMSS and SSA, Goalpara performed a home-visit to the accused person. The accused person was successfully retrieved and had been taken to Agia PS for further investigation. The survivor was provided with safe shelter at OSC, Goalpara as she was given death threat and it wasn’t safe for her to stay at her home. On 26th July, 2025, OSC team along with Agia Police team visited the survivor’s village and had a discussion with Gaonburha that an awareness programme is to be soon held there. After providing safe shelter to the survivor for 17 nights, she had been transferred to Swadhar Greh, Bapujinagar, Goalpara, for long-term shelter. After spending approx. two and a half months at Swadhar Greh, the survivor was brought back to OSC, Goalpara for safe shelter and she stayed the last of her 11 days here at OSC shelter home. She was finally restored to her home on 7th November, 2025, with the support of Agia Police team, Sikha Moni Madam, ACS, Co-District Commissioner, Agia, Goalpara and Mamoni Saikia Baideu, DPC, AMSS and SSA, Goalpara and other fellow officials. Thus, turning this tough case into a successful one resulting in restoration of the survivor.
