Biswanath Chariali, March 19: A day after watching a family of five being beheaded in accordance with a kangaroo court?s decision, workers of Sakamato tea estate in central Assam organised their funeral and celebrated what they believed was the end of witchcraft in the area.

The bodies of Amir Munda, 60, and four of his children were burned on a single pyre on the banks of the Giladhari river, adjoining the Sadharu division of Sakamato tea estate, which is barely 5 km from this town. There was hardly any sign of remorse on the faces of the 150-odd people who witnessed the last rites of the family around 3.30 pm.

Earlier in the day, the police arrested the six prime accused ? Anil Munda, Tarun Munda, Turang Munda, Bijoy Munda and two persons with the same name, Ramesh Munda ? and charged them under Sections 147, 148, 149 and 302 of the IPC. All of them are in Biswanath Jail.

Some of the slain Mundas? relatives were present at the funeral, but remained tight-lipped over the public beheading. Their stoicism was not surprising, given the surcharged atmosphere.

The prime accused told interrogators they were convinced that killing Amir and his children was the ?right step? to ensure the safety of their community. Sources said the killers actually rued the fact that they were forced to spare Amir?s pregnant wife Terosi, his daughter-in-law Mukta and his three grandchildren, Bhola, Bhoni and Pappu. The surviving members of the family are believed to be in hiding.

The situation in and around the garden was normal. The police handed over the bodies to the secretary of the tea garden workers? union after the post-mortem because no close relative was at hand.

The community?s hatred for Amir was intense. He was sentenced to death by the vichari, a kangaroo court of sorts, along with two of his sons and two daughters yesterday afternoon. The victims had been tortured into confessing that they practised witchcraft, sources said.

Amir, the local medicine man, had been much sought-after for his so-called ?healing powers?. However, it was alleged that he exploited the locals, and some of his methods had not been successful.

After a child died on Holi, his own community turned against him, with fatal consequences.