Man chops off hand of 15-yr-old with sword in Uttar Pradesh, arrested

The police said the man attacked the girl over an alleged dispute of a mobile phone charger.

A 30-year-old man chopped off a teenage girl’s right hand from the wrist with a sword in a busy marketplace in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday afternoon.

Eyewitnesses said the girl had borrowed the mobile phone charger of the brother of the accused, who got enraged when she refused to return it and launched the attack on her. (File)

The man, later identified as Rohit Chaurasiya of Fattepur locality, attacked the girl indiscriminately, also seriously injuring her head and left hand.

The locals stopped the attacker from fleeing and handed him over to the police who took him into custody. The attacker was the girl’s neighbour, police said. The motive for the attack was not clear.

Superintendent of police S Channappa said a dispute over a mobile charger was being reported as the motive for the attack but other aspects were also being investigated.

The profusely bleeding girl was rushed to the district hospital from where she was referred to the King George’s Medical University trauma centre in Lucknow for treatment.

She was being sent by a special ambulance.

A first information report of attempt to murder was lodged, police said. The Kheri SP said proceedings under the National Security Act (NSA) will be initiated against the attacker.

District magistrate Akashdeep assured all aid, including shelter, to the girl’s family in view of their very poor financial condition. He said he would see to it that the girl’s severed hand was joined by surgery in Lucknow.

Neighbours said the girl lived in a rented room at Baburam Sarrafnagar with her blind mother, ailing father, two elder brothers and a younger sister. The accused was said to be well-acquainted with the girl’s family.

Police said the accused was being interrogated.