Infants branded with hot iron by mothers in Keonjhar

Keonjhar: Superstitious practice of branding children with hot iron to cure them from ailments still continues in Odisha. Four such cases have been reported in the last two days from Keonjhar district.

A baby girl was admitted to Keonjhar District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) last night as her condition worsened after being branded by her superstitious mother at Balani area here to cure her swollen stomach.

“The child had been branded at 15-20 spots on her stomach due to which a serious blood infection Septicemia has occurred. She is currently being referred to Sishu Bhawan in Cuttack as we lack the facilities for her treatment,” said doctor PK Mahakud.

Similarly, a four-year-old boy suffering from malaria was also branded by his mother at Ansuan village under Bansapal Tehsil in the district today.

Two more children had been reportedly branded with hot iron in the district, earlier on Sunday.

A seven-day-old new born baby boy had been treated with hot iron by her grandmother to treat the swollen umbilical cord of the baby. The baby suffered burn injuries on his stomach and was admitted to Keonjhar DHH.

In another incident, an 18 month old baby girl from Patapani Sahi under Sadar block was also meted with similar inhumanity and treated with a hot iron by a local village quack to cure swelling of her stomach. After her condition deteriorated she was admitted to the DHH where the doctors diagnosed her with Malaria.