A 30-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly branding her eight-year-old stepdaughter with a hot iron rod when she asked her for Rs 5 for buying chocolates and biscuits in Odisha's Ganjam district, police said on Tuesday.
The incident took place on Laxmi Nursingh Street in Bada Bazar Police Station area here on Friday.
It came to light on Sunday when locals informed the police after seeing multiple injury marks on the body of the class 4 student when she was going to tuition.
"We have arrested the stepmother based on a police complaint lodged by the girl's uncle. He alleged that the woman tried to kill the girl by branding her with a hot iron rod," Bada Bazar Police Station Inspector in-charge Prasant Bhupati said.
After being rescued and treated by Childline activists at MKCG Medical College and Hospital, the girl has now been housed in a child care institution as per the direction of the district child welfare committee.
The girl has injury marks on her cheek, back and shoulder, he said.
The accused had allegedly tried to cover the girl's injuries with face powder and had warned her against disclosing the incident to anyone, the officer added.