PATNA, Aug. 28 -- A violent mob tortured a couple for hours on the suspicion of practising witchcraft, and killed the husband in Nawada district on Tuesday night, police said. The incident is said to have been triggered by superstition after a DJ system repeatedly stopped during a ritual, which the neighbours attributed to black magic allegedly practised by the elderly couple. Following the incident, police swung into action and arrested 17 people. The incident came to light on Wednesday morning when the accused allegedly tried to dispose of the body. Police reached the spot, took the body of the deceased-identified as Gaya Manjhi (58)-into custody and sent it for postmortem. "We got information that villagers had attacked a couple, killed the husband, and were attempting to burn the wife alive. We found the man dead and the woman injured. We also came to know that they were branded as 'dayan' (witch)," said Sub-Inspector Rupa Kumari of Hisua police station. According to police, the couple was humiliated before the attack. "They were made to wear garlands of shoes and slippers. The villagers were planning to burn the dead person and his injured wife at the local cremation ground when we intervened," said Kumari. The injured wife has been admitted to a nearby community health centre (CHC) for treatment. The victims, residents of Panchugarh Musahri locality-home to the Musahar community, considered among the most marginalised Dalit groups. Nawada Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhinav Dhiman said suspicion of black magic triggered the attack. " We have arrested 17 persons, including nine women, for their alleged involvement," the SP said. A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged based on the statement of the deceased's wife under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Witch (Daain) Practices Act. Forensic experts also reached the village to collect evidence. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, more than 2,500 people-mostly women-were killed in India on suspicion of witchcraft between 2000 and 2016. Recently in Purnia, five members of a family were brutally killed and set on fire amid similar shocking allegations of practising witchcraft by local villagers....