UP: Devotee chops off tongue, offers it to deity in Kaushambi

PRAYAGRAJ: In a bizarre incident, a 38-year-old man at Kada Dham temple in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi chopped off his tongue and offered it to the goddess, police said on Saturday.
Devotees, who found the man bleeding profusely, raised an alarm and cops got him admitted at government hospital in Manjhanpur. His condition is stated to be stable.
Station House Officer (Kada Dham) Abhilash Tiwari told TOI, "A Purav Sarira resident couple identified as Sampat Saroj and Ban Pati, arrived at Maa Sheetla Dham temple to offer prayers. The couple first took holy dip in Ganga and then offered prayers and performed parikrama. In the meantime, Sampat while performing last parikrama of the temple, took out a blade and slashed his tongue before the goddess. The act of the man left other devotees as well as his wife stunned who raised an alarm".
"On being informed about the incident, a police team had rushed to the spot and admitted the man to the hospital," the SHO said.
"My husband had Friday night wished to offer prayers at Kada Dham temple and as per plan, we have arrived at the temple to offer prayers,” Sampat's wife Ban Pati told TOI.
She, however, said, "I had no idea about my husband’s act of slashing his tongue before the goddess Sheetla Maa”.
The wife also claimed that her husband is a devout man and kept fasts and other religious penance twice a year for Navratri and Chaitra Navratri.
Ironically, devotees who arrived at Maa Sheetla Dham were shocked after spotting Sampat with blood oozing from his mouth.
A blade was also found in a corner of the temple.