Another infant falls prey to hot iron branding

Rourkela: Another infant has fallen prey to the inhuman practice of hot iron rod branding. The victim, a one-month old baby of Deogaon under Raghunathpalli police limits in Rourkela, died while under treatment at the government hospital. The baby boy was admitted to the hospital after his condition deteriorated following hot iron rod branding by a quack.

According to sources, the infant was branded with hot iron rod by a quack with the consent of his parents to treat a black nerve appearing on one of his arms.

Meanwhile, the body of the infant has been buried by his parents, hindering the probe into the matter. Sources informed that the police are contemplating exhumation of the body for investigation.

Notably on Thursday, a one-month old girl child who was branded with hot iron bangles at Kenduhuda village under Papadahandi block of Nabarangpur died at the district headquarters hospital while undergoing treatment.

On February 22, another eight-month old infant boy, who was branded with hot iron by his father to cure his illness in Mahuvatta village under Raighar police limits, had died at the government-run hospital.

Similarly on January 25, a nine-day old baby branded with a hot iron rod by a village quack in the name of treatment at Gorama village under Jharigaon block died at the Nabarangpur district headquarters hospital.