BERHAMPUR: In a shocking incident, a 15-day-old infant was branded with a hot iron in Baijhar village within Dasapalla police limits in Nayagarh district, sources said.
The newborn was suffering from indigestion reportedly causing his abdomen to bloat. On Friday, his father Damodar Mallik took him to a quack who allegedly branded the infant’s abdomen 12 times with a hot iron. As a result, the child fell seriously ill.
Damodar then took him to the nearest Banigochha health centre, but due to seriousness of the burn injury, the doctors referred him to Dasapalla. However, Damodar reportedly did not reach Dasapalla hospital.In the meanwhile, doctors of Banigocha health centre informed the police, who started a search for Damodar and the infant.
But till the report was filed, the duo was not traced.Despite awareness programmes against superstitious beliefs, the practice of branding ailing infants with hot metals to cure ailments is widely practised in remote areas of Odisha.