Written by Sukrita BaruahGuwahati | Updated: December 31, 2025 07:22 PM IST 2 min readSP Karbi Anglong Pushpraj Singh said that as of Wednesday evening, no arrests had been made.A couple was murdered in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district Tuesday night, with police suspecting it to be a case of “witch-hunting.”According to police, the couple — Gardi, 43, and Mira Birowa, 33 — were murdered by a group of villagers in No. 1 Beloguri Munda village in Karbi Anglong’s Howraghat area, and their house was set on fire.SP Karbi Anglong Pushpraj Singh said that as of Wednesday evening, no arrests had been made.“A case has been registered and it appears that it was a case of with-hunting. We are investigating and still ascertaining the nature in which they had been killed and are not in a position to comment about that,” he told The Indian Express.Assam has been battling “witch-hunting” for a long time, and it is a specific cognisable and non-bailable offence under the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, 2018. From 2022 to 2024, a total of 32 cases were registered under the Act, as per records.With the persistence of crimes under the Act, the Assam government in May this year notified an ‘Assam State Policy to Combat Human Trafficking and End Witch-Hunting’, which aims at targeted intervention focused on prevention, rescue, rehabilitation and prosecution. It lays out standard procedures for the rescue and rehabilitation of survivors of “witch-hunting” and contains policy directives to identify “vulnerable pockets” and run targeted programmes for awareness and crime prevention.Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges. Expertise and Experience Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts. Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities. Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East. Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for: Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms. Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Assam