‘Guilt’: Man cuts his hand ‘for atonement’

LAHORE: A man cut his hand on Thursday to “seek forgiveness for sins”, police said. Karamat, a resident of Wandala village in Kahna Kacha, told police that he had lived a sinful life. He said he had been a drug addict and a thief. He said his family had been unhappy and his wife had left him. On Thursday, he said, he was asleep when his murshid (spiritual leader) appeared in his dream and instructed him to chop off his hand to make amends for his sins. He said he had cut his hand using a knife he had borrowed from a chicken shop. Karamat was taken to a hospital. Police said they had recorded his statement and written to a magistrate about it.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2016.