DHENKANAL: Bhuban police on Tuesday arrested two persons of Thoriasanda village here on charges of torturing and branding children with hot iron.The arrested were identified as Roya Tiria (65) and Purna Munda (35).The duo was arrested on the basis of the complaint of District Child Protection officer (DCPO), police said.
During interrogation, Tiria and Munda admitted that they branded the children with hot iron to cure them of diseases. Branding children to cure them of several ailments has been a practice for the last over 70 years. Tiria and Munda branded three and 30 children respectively. This incident took place on Monday, a day after Makar Sankranti.
Meanwhile, Child Welfare Committee (CWC) urged the district administration to conduct health awareness programmes and camps on a regular basis to dispel the doubts and superstitions of tribals, said CWC member Dr Premananda Sahoo.
Sources said tribals staying in this remote village surrounded by forests cannot afford to reach hospitals. While child health screening and early intervention services apart from Central schemes like Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakrama has been implemented in the district, these have failed to reached the village.
CDMO Basudev Behera said mobile medical van will be sent to the village to conduct health camps in the village.