The victims record their statements with police officers. Picture by Tripurari Kumar

Patna, Sept. 22: Two “muscle-flexing” men allegedly tried to sever the palms of a five-year-old girl and injured her elder sister to “teach a lesson to their parents” fighting with them over the possession of a sewer passage at Ghogha in Bhagalpur.

The incident took place around 10pm on Wednesday when Sinchan (6) and Tetri (13) were fast asleep at their brick and mud house at Kalkulia village under Ghogha police station.

Narrating the incident to The Telegraph over phone, Tetri said: “Our neighbours — Kali Mandal and Arvind Mandal — carrying hasuas (sickles), took away Sinchan from my bed to the courtyard and tried to sever her both palms.”

She added that the duo could not chop off the palms because the sickle was blunt. “The men later attacked me with the sickle on my right knee after I tried to resist them,” said Tetri. She said that her father Madan Mandal and her two neighbours — the attackers — had been fighting over a joint nullah that would be used to drain out water from both the houses.

Kali and Arvind, who live in a pucca house near the victim’s house, had threatened Madan’s family if they dare lodge a complaint. Tetri said: “The attackers said they would eliminate my entire family.”

Though the incident took place at a place which is only 200 yards from the Ghogha police station, the police did not know about it till Bhagakpur range deputy inspector-general of police G.N. Sharma ordered the police to register the case today. Sharma said: “There is clear prima facie evidence of police laxity. I have asked the officer-in-charge to arrest the culprits immediately or else face suspension.”