A 62-year-old Adivasi woman was critically injured after she was assaulted by a group of people on suspicion of practising witchcraft in Assam’s Dibrugarh district, police said on Tuesday.

The woman, a resident of Romai tea estate in Lahowal police station area, was rescued from near a river where she was dumped by the mob after the assault.

She has been admitted to Assam Medical College Hospital (AMCH) here and her condition is stated to be critical, a police officer said.

The woman’s husband alleged that a group of 25 people brutally tortured his wife on suspicion of practising witchcraft.

“A group of people told me on Monday that my wife practices witchcraft, because of which many people have fallen ill. As I protested against their allegations, they barged into my house and started physically assaulting my wife. They brutally tortured her, dragged her and dumped her near the river,” he claimed.

He also identified three persons as the prime accused and they have fled the area.

Dibrugarh Additional Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Nirmal Ghosh said, “The incident was most likely the fallout of a family feud and the case is being investigated.”