Nuapada: There is no let-up in death of children due to branding with hot iron rods in the state as another infant succumbed to the rigid tribal practice at Karchul village under Dharambandha police limits, about seven km from the district headquarters of Nuapada, Sunday.
A 30-month-old infant died after he was branded by an elderly midwife, who is also a traditional healer in the village, to cure him of his ‘illness’. The deceased was identified as Tamil Sabar, the only son of Ame and Lakshmichand Sabar, a tribal.
When the infant suffered a high degree of burns in the ‘treatment,’ family members rushed him to the district headquarters hospital where he succumbed to injuries during treatment.
Dr Jayprakash Sahu who treated the child stated that septicaemia was the reason behind the infant’s death. He said that many people are inviting death by falling prey to the superstitious practice which is based on unproved principles. He said such incidents are not new to the region as children branded with hot irons are being admitted to the hospital at regular intervals.
Observers claim that such incidents are continuing unabated as neither the doctors nor the family members are lodging any complaints with police after the death of victims.
Sources said the deceased second child of the couple was in a state of good health after birth. However, his parents sought the help of a traditional healer, who also doubles up as a midwife, after the veins on his body appeared black after two and half years of his birth.
Locals believe the black veins would disappear if the child is branded on the affected areas. So the infant’s parents called an elderly woman of Pakhan Pada who branded the child and performed some rituals on him Saturday. As a result, the condition of the child had deteriorated further instead of recovering. Panicked, the family members rushed the infant to the DHH Saturday evening.
Soon, doctors had started the treatment and been monitoring his condition when he succumbed to the inflicted burns Sunday morning.
Dharambandha IIC Bibekananda Mohanta said a probe has been launched into the incident. PNN
