An Indian man sliced off his own genitals in order to make money from begging as a member of the eunuch community.
It is believed that Chauthmal Raigar of Jodhpur, western India, had been out begging for the Hindu festival of Diwali before he performed a shocking act of self-mutilation in his home.
According to the local police chief Chaggan Singh:
When he came back, he went into his house and cut off his genitals. He was probably motivated by the money the eunuchs collected as he comes from a very poor family.
Though marginalized and often mistreated in India, eunuchs are able to earn a living from begging at weddings, births and festivals because people believe that it is bad luck to turn them away without any money.
Raigar is said to have been befriended by eunuchs in the past and have joined them in begging at local events.
