Indian man marries dog

An Indian man who believed he had been cursed for stoning to death two dogs has atoned for his sin by marrying another dog in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony.

P. Selvakumar, a 33-year-old farm labourer from the southern state of Tamil Nadu, married the four-year-old stray bitch after it was bathed and processed to his village temple dressed in an orange sari and garlanded with flowers.

The marriage took place on the advice of the man's astrologer who said it was the only way to atone for his actions of more than 20 years ago.

He was reported to have suffered a series of physical ailments after stoning the dogs to death and hanging their bodies from a tree.

“After that my legs and hands got paralysed and I lost hearing in one ear,” said Mr Selvakumar after the ceremony with his new "bride", whose name is Selvi.

A reception attended by some 200 guests was held for the newlyweds in the groom's house during which Selvi grew restless and ran away.

However she was subsequently recaptured and returned to her husband who gave her milk and a bun to eat.

It is understood that the groom is still free to find a human wife should he be inclined.

Mr Selvakumar is not the first man to have hit the headlines for having romantic relations with animals.

Last year a Sudanese man was forced to marry a goat after village elders discovered him having sex with her. The goat died shortly afterwards.

Girl weds dog to break 'evil spell'

A nine-year-old tribal girl in eastern India has married a stray dog as part of a ritual to ward off an "evil spell" on her, Indian newspapers have reported.

The girl, Karnamoni Handsa, had to be married quickly because she had a tooth rooted to her upper gum, which is considered a bad omen by her Santhal tribe in the remote village of Khanyhan, about 60 kilometres (37 miles) from Calcutta.

"Members of the village jury asked us to get her married to a dog or to face the bad omen," the girl's father was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

The tribe elders said the marriage would not affect the girl's life, and that she would be free to marry again later and did not need to divorce the dog.

"It will not spoil her future. We will marry her off to eligible bachelor when she grows up," the girl's mother told AFP.

'No regret'

The wedding - which took place on 11 June - was attended by more than 100 guests, who danced to the beating of drums and drank home-made liquor.

"I have no regret in marrying the dog Bacchan. I am fond of the dog who moves around our locality," the girl told the AFP.

"Bacchan is a stray dog who survives on left-overs. I will take care of the dog," she added.

Indian newspapers reported that local police officials had ordered an inquiry into the incident.

The Santhals - most of whom are sharecroppers - are a large tribe living in the states of West Bengal and neighbouring Bihar and Jharkhand.

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