A man cut off all of his father’s fingers for “practising witchcraft”, following a diktat from a kangaroo court in Ramkrishnapur village of Birbhum on Tuesday. Five people, including the son, were arrested on Thursday.

The ‘court’ had initially called for the 66-year-old man to be beheaded, but changed its mind after the victim’s family “begged for mercy”. The victim, Fondi Sardar, has been admitted to a Burdwan hospital.

Local residents said the situation arose after the head of the village, Anil Sardar, branded Fandi as a “worshipper of evil” and called for a kangaroo court in the tribal-dominated village. The court, headed by Anil, then ordered that Fondi be beheaded. After the victim’s family intervened, the court directed Fondi’s son to cut off all 10 of his fingers.

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