Balurghat, July 9: The murder of a woman who was branded a witch, took a new turn today after her son was arrested along with three others on charges of killing her.

The body of 60-year-old Sukurmani Murmu of Laksharhat in Tapan police station area was found yesterday with her throat slit. She had been branded a witch by villagers after her husband Hopna Murdi died five years ago.

District superintendent of police Daniel Tshering Lepcha said the villagers not only held her responsible for her husband’s death, but also for every death in the locality.

Sukurmani, who had three sons and two daughters, used to live alone after her husband’s death. Her eldest son Bhabani lived in the same village. According to police, Bhabani took advantage of the villagers’ superstition to conspire with them to kill his mother and get a plot of land that she had refused to give him.