Labourer’s hand chopped for not settling Rs.600 debt

LUCKNOW - A man’s right hand was mercilessly severed by a group of moneylenders after he failed to settle a debt of around Rs.600, police in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district said Monday.

The incident took place late Sunday in Kachauna town in Hardoi, some 110 km from Lucknow, where four loan sharks chopped off the hand of Bhaiya Lal, who is in his 20s and is a labourer.

“We have registered a case against four men, who are believed to be prime suspects behind the incident,” police inspector Vidya Sagar told reporters in Hardoi.

“All the four are absconding. Efforts are on to nab them,” he added.

According to police, Lal had taken a loan of around Rs.7,000 from a group of moneylenders. Though Lal, who is a labourer, managed to repay a major portion of the loan, he was not able to arrange the remaining amount along with some interest.

Lal went into hiding to avoid the moneylenders, who had been visiting his home for the last six months to recover their money. On Sunday, the moneylenders spotted Lal at a secluded place and cut his right hand when he sought some more time to repay the loan.