Shillong, April 11: After a brief lull, fear of witchcraft has returned to haunt the Jaintia hills in Meghalaya.

Fresh reports of attack by villagers on nongshonohs or people believed to be practitioners of witchcraft has put the district administration and police on the alert again.

Only last evening, Jaintia hills police received reports of a ?person having been buried? at a place near Ummulong. However, this could not be confirmed.

?It appears to be a rumour,? superintendent of police H. Nongpluh said. He said the police were maintaining round-the-clock vigil following the report and would closely monitor villages where such attacks had taken place before in order to maintain law and order in the area.

Several persons have been critically injured in different parts of Jaintia hills in the past few months, following attacks by local residents who mistook them for nongshonohs.

The fear psychosis gradually spread to some parts of East Khasi Hills district as well and innocent persons, including government and bank employees, were attacked by mobs.

In order to contain the situation and avoid any outbreak of fresh violence, the Jaintia hills district administration has also talked to heads of local institutions and local people. Some village headmen have agreed to help the police in ensuring that ?no one takes the law into his or her hands?.