A village chief and his secretary were arrested today for ostracising a man for allegedly practicing witchcraft in a remote village in Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills District, a police official said.
Acting on an FIR lodged by 64-year-old Maksing Wahlang, the police have arrested the village headman and the secretary who issued the order against him, they said.
"We have arrested the sordar of Umsaw village, Phlandar Lyngkhoi and his secretary Destar," Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtynger told PTI.
He said the village chief and his secretary were later sent to judicial custody and both were charged for threatening and also for extortion under section 506 and 386 IPC.
Wahlang, who was accused of practicing witchcraft in the village, was forcibly made to submit a written letter on October 2012 before the 'dorbar shnong' (village durbar) that he himself wanted to leave the village, police said.
It was also alleged that the old man had done this due to fear of boiling water being poured over him as threatened by the sordar and his aide.
Besides, the duo had also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on Wahlang after which he was forced to pay before leaving the village.
Earlier, Wahlang, father of nine, had sought the immediate intervention of the Additional Subordinate District Court into the matter which directed the village dorbar to refund the fine amount.
