Guwahati, July 13: Police have rescued a woman from Meghalaya’s Garo Hills who had been subjected to brutal torture after she was branded as a ‘witch’. She was saved after her video went viral on social media, wherein she is seen tied up and assaulted.

Sources state that the woman is from Hatigaon village of Goalpara district located in Assam. She was married to a person in  Bajengdoba. The woman was branded as a ‘witch’ by her husband and the villagers.

The incident took place in Bajengdoba area of  Meghalaya two days ago. It  came to light on July 12 after people started sharing the video on social media.

“The woman was branded as a witch by her husband and the villagers. After tying her with rope, they tortured her,” said a source.

After the video went viral,  Assam police with the help of Meghalaya Police rescued the woman and arrested her husband for branding her as a ‘witch’.

“We have arrested the husband and registered a case against him. We are investigating the case,” said a police official.

Witch-hunting is still prevalent in Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. Many cases of witch-hunting have been reported from the area.

The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, which implements stringent punishment and fine for branding and killing people after branding them as “witches”, is in effect in the state since 2018.