Puri: Superstition continues to hold sway both in rural and urban parts of Odisha. On Saturday, family members of a minor girl, who was under medication at the Puri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), engaged a sorcerer (tantrik) to give her ‘additional treatment’ for speedy recovery.
The minor girl, daughter of one Kailash Behera of Satyabadi area in Puri district, was reportedly suffering from an unknown disease since a few days. When her condition deteriorated, Behera admitted her to Satyabadi Hospital and later shifted to Puri DHH on March 29.
However, the doctors at the DHH allegedly could not diagnose her and referred her to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for better treatment.
However, the family members of the girl sought help from a local sorcerer, Rajkishore Mahapatra, who claimed that the girl was possessed by some evil spirit and assured that he could heal the ailment.
Sources said, the sorcerer made the girl to lie on the floor of the Puri hospital, conduct prayers and recited mantras as part of the healing ritual. “She has been possessed by some evil spirit. I have performed the rituals, she will be cured. In case she feels unwell, I will give her a locket. Everything is fine now,” claimed the sorcerer.
“Everybody said that he was possessed by some spirit. She keeps on screaming and I am helpless. However, I did not see any good sign even after the treatment from the sorcerer,” said the girl’s father.
Though the entire rituals were conducted in front of the doctors and staff of Puri DHH, no one either stopped the tantrik or came to the rescue of the minor girl. Later, the girl was rushed to SCB, Cuttack after her condition deteriorated.