Ten people forced to burn their hands to prove innocence

Ten people suffered burn injuries here after they were forced to touch a hot spade at a temple to convince a villager that they had not stolen cash from his residence, police said today.
A complaint was registered today with the Anand rural police by Bhula Thakor, one of the ten people who suffered burn injuries, against Soma Thakor.
A month and a half ago, Rs 3 lakh in cash was stolen from the residence of Soma Thakor, a resident of Nata village of Borsad taluka. However, he did not register a complaint and suspected his neighbours had stolen the cash, the police said, adding that he also told them that if they had not stolen it, then they should come to the temple and touch the hot spade to "prove" their innocence.

Soma took the nine villagers to the Khodiyarmata temple in Gana village on Sunday, the police said, where the temple priest Suresh Patel told them that they would feel the heat of the hot spade only if they had stolen the money.
"If you don't touch the hot spade, the deity will curse you. If you go back and pick up a fight with Soma for making you touch the hot spade, you will have to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh as fine," the temple priest said.
Soon after, the ten villagers, including Soma Thakor, touched the hot spade and suffered burn injuries.

While Dinesh Thakor and Bharat Thakor suffered minor injuries and were discharged after treatment at a primary health centre, Bhula Thakor, Gopal Thakor, Sana Thakor, Rama Thakor, Vijay Thakor, Ravji Purshottam, Rama Punja, Dinesh Manu and Bharat Mohan suffered severe burns and had to be sent to a private hospital, the police said.
Bhula Thakor registered a complaint with police against Soma Thakor, temple priest Suresh Patel and Soma's brother Amrut Thakor.