Kepari Leniata, a 20-year-old mother who was accused of being a witch, was stripped, tortured and bound by mob who then burned her alive in front of hundreds in a Papua New Guinea town, police said Friday.

Leniata was accused of sorcery by relatives of a 6-year-old boy who died in the hospital on Tuesday, according to USA Today.

On Wednesday, she was stripped naked by several assailiants, tortured with a hot iron rod, bound, covered in gasoline, then set alight on a pile of car tires and trash in the Western Highlands provincial capital of Mount Hagen.

Bystanders took photographs and graphic pictures were published on the front pages of the country's biggest circulating newspapers, The National and Post-Courier.

The death was the first witchcraft-related murder in Papua New Guinea in a year, national police spokesperson Dominic Kakas said. Witchcraft is often blamed for unexplained misfortunes in rural New Guinea and retaliations have become increasingly violent in recent years, the news report stated.

Wednesday's violent act was condemned by the nation's prime minister, police and diplomats, according to Businessweek.

Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga described the murder as "shocking and devilish," adding to his statement on Thursday "We are in the 21st century and this is totally unacceptable."

Prime Minister Pete O'Neill said he instructed police to use all manpower available to bring in the killers.

"It is reprehensible that women, the old and the weak in our society should be targeted for alleged sorcery or wrongs that they actually have nothing to do with," he said.

Kakas said investigation into the incident continues with "good leads" and that Leniata's husband is the prime suspect.

Click here to see photos of the incident that took place in Papua New Guinea [Graphic]