There seems to be a horrific trend in Bihar gouging out eyes. Three incidents have occurred in a span of 10 days.

Sixty-five year old Bhola Chowdhary is not just in a lot of pain but he's also scared and bewildered.

On Tuesday evening, a few influential men from his village Mahinawan near Patna showed up with a scythe and gouged out his eye.

Bhola, a Dalit labourer, doesn't even know what he was punished for and is too scared to name his attackers.

"The assailants came from behind and tied my hand and covered my face. Then I was helpless and they pierced my eye with sharp weapon," said Bhola.

No money for treatment

The family can barely afford the treatment and the doctors give them little hope.

"The villagers arranged Rs 600 so that my husband can be treated. We are poor people and cannot afford treatment," said Rampuri Devi, victim's wife.

"His left eye has been pierced with some sharp object. His eye socket has been damaged. There is no hope of regaining vision," said Dr U P Sinha, Eye Specialist, Patna Medical College.

The men who allegedly attacked Bhola are missing and the police are still investigating.

"We are investigating the matter. We are trying to find out who were the people who attacked him and if Bhola had any animosity with anyone we will punish the guilty," said Rajesh Kumar, SP, Patna.

Three victims in three villages, all Dalits and same punishment. This was just another sub-chapter in Bihar's saga of lawlessness.