KEONJHAR : A 10-year-old girl was branded with hot iron rod by her mother after she complained of stomach ailment, in Keonjhar district. According to reports, the girl, Mili Dehuri of Reba village under Bansapala block in the district, was branded with hot iron rod by her mother five days back. The minor was admitted to District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in a critical condition on Thursday. Mili, a Class V student, complained of stomach ailment following which her mother branded her stomach 36 times with the iron rod. When her condition deteriorated, her parents admitted her to the DHH.
In the absence of awareness of health facilities, the practice of branding children with hot iron continues unabated in the tribal Keonjhar district. At least five children, including Mili, who were suffering from stomach ailments, have been branded with hot iron in the district in the last one week.
They are four-year-old Raja, son of Bhagia and Masa Dehury of Anasuyan village under Banspal block; two-month-old son of Bapi Nayak under Barbil police limits; 13-day-old infant of Kena and Anjana Juanga of Maragola village under Harichandanpur block and one-and-half year-old daughter of Durga and Gurubari Mahakud of Kusumita village under Sadar block. While condition of all the four children is stable now, Bapi Nayak’s son has been shifted to SCB Medical at Cuttack. His condition has deteriorated.