No Potter stuff in her book on witchcraft

For a girl brought up in the city and going to a convent school, witchcraft is an unlikely subject to delve upon.

For a girl brought up in the city and going to a convent school, witchcraft is an unlikely subject to delve upon. But Class VIII student of Holy Child School, Angshumita Deka, found the theme interesting enough to write her first novel Hidden Love on it.

“I always find news about witch-hunting very interesting,” said Angshumita, after her book was released by Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor Amarjyoti Choudhury here on Sunday.

Angshumita, who writes poems, said: “I like Harry Potter too, but my story is totally different, and reflects contemporary society.”

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Rashmi Narzary, a well-known author, said: “It is amazing that a high school student has found witchcraft to be the theme of her novel. But this is happening. Dozens of people get killed in the name of witch-hunting in the interior districts. News about such incidents affect the children’s psyche.” Narzary also pointed out that Angshumita has “developed the plot well”.

The novel is based on stories that Angshumita heard from her great grandmother in Ratanpur. “Grandma had seen many fall victim to witch-hunting. But the tragedy is, even today, the society is still unable to come out of such practices,” she said.