BHOPAL: Furious over a power cut during tilak ceremony ahead of wedding, the groom’s family members and some villagers attacked a lineman and nearly severed both his hands in

on Monday night. Police are yet to arrest anyone. The victim, 56-year-old

, has been admitted to hospital and is undergoing surgeries to save his hands.

The barbaric assault incident took place at

in

. Local police station in-charge B S Gaur said, “There was a family event at the house of the accused,

. The discom’s lineman had taken permit to snap power for maintenance work. Irked by the sudden power cut, Lakhan Singh and some unidentified people attacked and injured him.”

The family had not informed the discom of the family event or sought permission for uninterrupted supply. As soon as the power went off, the family went looking for the lineman. Rambabu, a resident of Bajragarh, told police: “I was doing regular maintenance for the discom along with staff from the district headquarters when Lakhan Singh Dhakad and the others confronted me. He attacked me with a sharp weapon, injuring the fingers of my right hand. Others injured my left palm.” The mob tried to chop both his hands. He was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors bandaged his deep cuts and sent him to the district hospital. “A case has been registered against Lakhan Singh and the others and we are looking for them,” Gaur said.