Chhattisgarh: Man offers chopped-off finger at temple after NDA win
In an extreme display of political devotion, a 30-year-old man from Balrampur, Chhattisgarh, severed his own finger and offered it at a temple following the National Democratic Alliance's victory in the Lok Sabha polls. Durgesh Pandey, a staunch Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter, initially became disheartened when early trends suggested that Congress was leading. However, after learning that the NDA had crossed the majority mark of 272 seats, he made this dramatic gesture at the local Kali temple.
Pandey's condition stabilizes after emergency surgery
Pandey then attempted to stop the bleeding by tying a cloth around his wound. But due to inadequate treatment, his condition worsened over time, and he was rushed to the Community Health Center in Samari. The health center referred him to Ambikapur Medical College due to the severity of his injury. When he arrived at the medical college, doctors were able to stabilize his condition; however, due to the delay in treatment, they were unable to reattach the severed finger.
Pandey reflects on his actions following BJP's victory
Pandey, reflecting on his actions, stated: "I was disturbed to see the Congress leading in the initial trends...I visited the Kali temple in my village, which the entire village has faith in." He further added: "When the BJP was winning... I went to the temple, chopped my finger and offered it." In the closely contested election, the NDA won 293 of 543 Lok Sabha seats, scraping past the majority mark with the help of allies.
