Assam tea workers ate flesh after killing owner

As the police are scouting for the accused of the recent gruesome killing of a tea garden owner and his wife in Assam, it has now been established that a section of the assailants had consumed flesh after killing the duo on that day.

Cannibalism in the incident was reported on Monday when two witnesses gave accounts to the police about the consumption of flesh by a section of the assailants.

“Two witnesses have told us that a section of the assailants had consumed flesh after perpetrating the attack,” inspector general (law and order) SN Singh told reporters.Mridul Kumar Bhattacharya, owner of MKB Tea Estate in eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district, and his wife Rita Bhattacharya, were killed by garden workers on December 26 to avenge the arrest of two workers by the police.

The workers, numbering around 700 to 800, marched up to Bhattacharya’s bungalow. They torched a couple of vehicles before killing Bhattacharya and his wife and setting the bungalow on fire. Two charred bodies were retrieved later. The two workers were arrested by the police based on a complaint lodged by Bhattacharya. He had earlier served eviction notices to them. Singh said at least 14 people were involved, of which one had been arrested. “The accused are from the MKB tea estate and from some neighbouring tea gardens. They will be arrested soon,” he said adding “the law and order situation in the area is now under control”.

The police have not ruled out the hand of Maoists in the incident given their growing activities in Assam’s tea belt. “We are investigating all angles. The involvement of Maoists is a matter of investigation,” superintendent of police Tinsukia, PP Singh, told DNA.