Bhubaneswar, March 20: A 20-year-old youth today sliced off his tongue and offered it to the presiding deity at Hatasahi village within Tangi police limits in Khurda district in yet another manifestation of blind supersition.

The youth, Debendra Taras, a Plus Three final year student of Kuhudi College, was immediately admitted to the nearest hospital. From there, he was referred to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.

Sources said local residents discovered the youth lying in an unconscious state with blood all around him at a Shiv temple in the early hours of Monday. Villagers said the youth had been praying to the deity for the past seven days to fulfil his wish.

"Some of the villagers said he was praying to pass the examination, while others said he was praying for his mentally unstable mother. We sent our men to his residence, but by that time he was referred to Capital Hospital. He is unable to properly speak and we are waiting for him to be able to speak to ascertain the exact cause," said a police official.

Witnesses said the incident came to light this morning after the youth was found in front of the temple. "There was a knife on the spot and we immediately admitted him to the nearest hospital. Other villagers could not believe that an educated youth would be blinded by superstition and do such a thing," said one of the villagers.

This is the fourth such incident of sacrifice reported from various parts of the state this month.

On March 15, a 42-year-old man had hacked his sister to death at Dangaghata village within Balangir Sadar police limits. The victim, Rangabati Mallik, 32, died on the spot after Tripura Mallik attacked her with a sword kept for worship. The accused has already admitted to killing his sister to appease the village deity.

On March 3, a 40-year-old man of Alasu village within Jagannath Prasad police station in Ganjam district chopped off his genitals and offered it to Lord Shiv in the hope of getting a child. The victim, Natabar Naik, was discovered in an unconscious state at the Nilakantheswar temple at Kulangi village.

On March 2, 17-year-old Sanjukta Jayapuria, a Plus Two second year Arts student from Bijapalli village within Rengali police limit in Jharsuguda district, was allegedly beaten to death by her cousins Santoshini, 23, and Soudamini, 22. The police said the accused sisters had invited the deceased to their home to pray to Lord Shiv as the family members of the deceased suspected black magic to be a reason behind her illness. The cops have arrested 12 persons, including a woman, identified as Suchitra Dhurua, on charges of baptising people with the Shiv diksha in the area.