Mob Sets Woman, Her Baby On Fire After Calling Her A Witch In Jharkhand

Last Updated:February 18, 2026, 16:33 IST

Amid the commotion, the mob poured kerosene on the woman, who had her one-year-old baby in her arms, and set them on fire.

In a shocking incident, a 32-year-old woman and her one-year-old baby were allegedly set on fire by a mob after she was branded a witch in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place late Tuesday night in a village under the Kumardungi police station limits. According to police, the woman’s husband was also injured in the attack but managed to escape. He reportedly spent the night at a relative’s house before reaching the police station on Wednesday morning to lodge a complaint, news agency PTI reported.

In his complaint, he alleged that he woke up in the middle of the night after hearing that some people were calling him and his wife.

When he went out, he saw that around a dozen people had gathered, accusing his wife of practising witchcraft. Amid the commotion, the mob poured kerosene on his wife, who had their one-year-old baby in her arms, and set them on fire, according to the complaint.

Both the woman and the infant died on the spot, police said.

Raphael Murmu, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Jagannathpur, said four men named in the complaint have been arrested.

“After the husband lodged the police complaint, he was admitted to the government hospital in Kumardungi. We have arrested four men named in the complaint. We are trying to identify the women who also took part in the crime, relying merely on superstition," Murmu told PTI.

Police said the attack may have been triggered by the death of a relative of the husband, who lived in the same village and passed away on Tuesday following a prolonged illness. The victim’s wife was allegedly blamed for the death.

A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, officials said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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