BHUBANESWAR: A 19-year-old boy slashed his tongue in a temple as an offering to the Goddess at Kuhudi around 45 km away from the City on Sunday night.
The teenager, identified as Deba Taras, was spotted in semi-conscious state, lying in a pool of blood at the sanctum-sanctorum of the temple by a priest in the wee hours on Monday.
He was rushed to the nearby Tangi Community Health Centre from where he was shifted to Capital Hospital.The boy's tongue has been severed and he is unable to speak.
Taras is a Plus two student at Kuhudi College in Khurda district, said police.
According to his family members, Taras had gone to Chandeswar Mahadev Temple, located 5km away from Kuhudi to offer prayers to the deity. He did not return home last night, they said.
While the condition of Taras remains critical, Tangi police is probing into the incident and quizzing the teenager's family. Preliminary investigation revealed that Taras had offered puja at the temple and later slashed his tongue with a sharp weapon, a police official said.
However, reportedly items like blade or knife were not found from the temple complex.
"Since he is unable to speak now, the cause behind the act can be ascertained only after Taras' condition improves," the cop added.