A man, who was punished by the panchayat and made to lick the spit of the villagers off the ground in Bihar's Samstipur district ended his life unable to bear the ignominy, police said today.
Ranjit Mahto(40) of Gorai village in Samstipur district committed suicide at his home yesterday. He was the sole bread winner of his family.
Samastipur superintendent of police Chandrika Prasad said that the face off between Mahto and the panchayat began when he had a fight with a village priest, Raj Kumar Jha of neighbouring Ranitola village during Dussehra for allegedly harassing his 17 year-old daughter.
A panchayat meeting, which was held to discuss the episode, held Mahto to be in the wrong and imposed a fine of Rs 21,000 on him. When he sought some leniency, some members of the panchayat suggested that he should lick their spit off the ground as a mark of appeasement.
Compelled to perform the demeaning act, the man consumed insecticide after returning home.
His wife in her complaint to the police said Mahto was taken to a nearby hospital but did not survive.
An FIR was lodged at Chak Mahsi police station of the district against six named accused and eight unknown based on her complaint, the SP said adding all of them are absconding.
Search is on to apprehend them.
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