A family in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district narrowly escaped a violent assault after a large mob attacked their home on Thursday night, accusing them of practising witchcraft. The incident took place in Khliehshnong locality of Sohra around 9.30 pm, when nearly 200 people gathered outside the house of local resident Ham Shangpliang, threatening to burn the home and harm the occupants. Police officials said tension escalated quickly after rumours spread that a boy had claimed to experience “visions” involving Shangpliang and believed he had been placed under some form of spell. The unverified allegation ignited panic in the neighbourhood, prompting a crowd to assemble and surround the house, despite the absence of any evidence to support the claim.
Authorities described the situation as “extremely volatile,” with the mob refusing multiple warnings to disperse. Sohra police teams arrived at the spot along with local magistrates, but faced stiff resistance due to the size and aggression of the crowd. East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said officers were left with no option but to fire tear gas and stun grenades to create a safe path for evacuation. “This was necessary to protect the residents and safely extract them from danger,” he said. Twenty-two people, including minors and members of two other families who were visiting the house for a memorial service, were safely rescued in a coordinated operation. They were taken to Shillong Civil Hospital for medical examination and counselling.
Additional reinforcements, including personnel from the Special Operations Team in Shillong, were deployed to stabilise the situation and disperse the mob.At least eight police personnel sustained injuries during the confrontation as they attempted to defend the family and maintain order. A case has been registered at Sohra police station, and nine accused who were allegedly among the main instigators have been arrested so far. Police stated that more suspects have been identified and further arrests are likely as the investigation continues.