Would-be father offers his tongue to Gods

A childless Indian man sliced off his tongue as an offering to the god Shiva in the hope of becoming a father.

Police said 28-year-old Mukesh Kumar chopped off his tongue with a razor blade at a temple in the state of Uttar Pradesh dedicated to the Hindu god.

Mr Kumar, from a village in Banda district around 125 miles from the city of Lucknow, was taken to a private hospital by other devotees.

Doctors said he is out of danger, but would probably suffer from major speech problems later, police said.

Senior inspector R P Mishra added that Mr Kumar remained childless after more than four years of marriage.

He added: "An ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, an angry Kumar left his house following a tiff with his wife for not being able to conceive.

"He went to the temple, where he offered his tongue to the deity."