Behrampore, June 15: A youth hacked his neighbour to death with a sickle this morning when he protested against the teasing of his 14-year-old niece.

Ganesh Haldar, 25, also severely wounded the girl’s father, a daily wage-earner, when he rushed to intervene.

Residents of Palashi Mathpara village in Murshidabad’s Farakka, about 300 km from Calcutta, later beat up Ganesh.

Mamoni Rajbanshi, a Class VIII student of Nischindra High School, used to be teased everyday on her way to and from school by Ganesh, police said.

Yesterday afternoon, Mamoni came home crying and told her uncle, 26-year-old Mukesh Rajbanshi, and father Kushi about it. The two went to Ganesh’s house and warned him.

“But this morning, Ganesh again teased Mamoni when she was going to school,” said an officer investigating the case.

When Mukesh and Kushi arrived at Ganesh’s house today, he rushed out carrying a sickle. Ganesh plunged the sickle into Mukesh’s throat. He collapsed in a pool of blood and died on the spot.

“Kushi tried to resist Ganesh and was slashed in several parts of his body,” the officer said.

When the news spread, villagers caught hold of Ganesh and thrashed him. Others informed the police.

A team from the police station arrived soon after and had a tough time rescuing Ganesh from the villagers’ clutches.

Ganesh was arrested and taken to the Beniagram block health centre.

Shankar Chakraborty, the additional superintendent of police, said Ganesh would be produced in court after he recovers.

Ganesh said he had attacked the brothers in the heat of the moment.

“I had no intention of killing Mukesh. I knew him very well as we lived in the same village,” he said.