BERHAMPUR: In a shocking incident, a 29-year-old youth allegedly cut off his tongue with a knife at a temple of Goddess Kali following a quarrel with his family members at Hansatuli village under Beguniapada block in Ganjam district on Saturday night.
The youth, Kiran Patra, has been admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur and his condition is stated to be critical.
Sources said Kiran had returned home from abroad last week. Since his return, frequent quarrels were reportedly taking place in his family. On Saturday night, another fight broke out among his family members. Subsequently, Kiran went to the local Maa Kali temple, wrote on a piece of paper that he would ‘say nothing more’ and allegedly slashed his tongue with a knife.
The temple priest and local residents found Kiran lying in a pool of blood near the entrance of the shrine in the wee hours of Sunday and raised an alarm. On being informed, police reached the spot for investigation. Kiran was rushed to Khallikote community health centre in an ambulance and later referred to MKCG MCH where he remains in critical condition.
Police recovered Kiran’s handwritten note from the spot. Preliminary investigation suggested that prolonged family and marital discord pushed the youth to take such a step.
Police are probing all angles including whether the incident was an attempted suicide or influenced by superstition. No evidence of any third-party involvement has surfaced so far.