Indian man castrates himself to join begging eunuchs

A poverty-stricken man in western India cut off his genitals in an apparent attempt to join the eunuch community, who often make a living from begging.

Published: 11:45AM BST 20 Oct 2009

Police said the 22-year-old man from Jodhpur was befriended by eunuchs and used to go begging with them at functions such as child births, marriages and festivals.

Though uninvited, eunuchs often attend such occasions because many Indians believe it is inauspicious to turn them away without giving money.

The man, named as Chauthmal Raigar, had been out begging on the Hindu festival of Diwali on Saturday before he mutilated himself in a village in Rajasthan state.

"When he came back, he went into his house and cut off his genitals," said Chaggan Singh, the local chief of police. "He was probably motivated by the money the eunuchs collected as he comes from a very poor family."

Eunuchs are marginalised in India and, unable to gets jobs, rely on begging and the sex trade for income.