Bongaigaon: A group of villagers near India-Bhutan border in Assam's Chirang district had hacked their neighbour to death for allegedly practising black magic. Six of the accused villagers were arrested on Saturday.

The victim has been identified as Sarat Narzary, 48, a wage earner and resident of Khungring under Runikhata police station. Sarat is survived by his two wives and five children.

One of the villagers, Rebeka Wary, 25, alleged that Sarat had killed her husband Samsung, 27, three days ago by "black magic". She had led a group of local people and the village headman Swambla Borgoyari, 24, to Sarat's residence for a social trial at 5pm on Friday.

They dragged Sarat to the creamatorium where the last rites of Rebeka's husband were being performed and hacked him to death.

Police reached the spot, 12km from Runikhata police station and 2km from the victim's residence, the same evening and sent Sarat's body to the civil hospital at Kajalgaon, 35km away.

In the wee hours of Saturday, the police arrested six persons, including Rebeka, and registered a case (22/2018) under Sections 120(B), 448, 364, 302 and 34 of IPC at Runikhata police station following a report lodged by the victim's family on Friday night.

A police official confirmed it as a case of " black magic" and said that several others would be arrested.

All Bodo Student Union (Absu) activists said Rebeka's husband, a wage earner, had died of "prolonged illness."

Its Chirang district unit president Khanindra Basumatary demanded compensation for the victim's family and legal action against all the accused.