BHOPAL: A murder and dacoity convict lodged at Gwalior Central Jail in Madhya Pradesh allegedly cut off his genitals as "offering" to Lord Shiva inside the jail premises early on Tuesday.
The shocking incident happened at 6.30 am in the temple in the jail premises. The prisoner, identified as 30-year-old Vishnu Rajawat, used the sharp edge of a spoon to cut off his genitals.
Rajawat, who is undergoing a double life sentence, was rushed to the Gwalior District Hospital. He is stable now.
"Once his condition stabilizes, the surgeons at Gwalior District Hospital would perform the reconstructive surgery to restore the severed genital," Gwalior Central Jail superintendent Manoj Sahu said.
While justifying the outlandish act, the inmate had said he was ordered by Lord Shiva in the dream to perform the act.
"A case of attempted suicide has been registered against Rajawat at Bahorpur police station in Gwalior," added Sahu.
Hailing from the adjoining Bhind district, Rajawat has been housed in the jail since 2018. In 2019, he was convicted by a local court in a murder and dacoity case and awarded double life sentence.
The incident has exposed the state of security at the jail. "The jail is housing 3000 inmates with each sector having 400 inmates. It is very difficult to keep an eye on every inmate by guards or CCTV cameras by having them in every nook and cranny of the jail," said deputy jail superintendent Prabhat Kumar.