Nabarangpur: A four-day-old boy was left battling for life after he was branded with hot iron to cure him from an ailment. And the tormentor was none other than his father. The incident took place at Mokia village under Chandahandi block in Nabarangpur district, a report said Wednesday.
Reports said that the superstition of branding children with hot iron for curing them from ailments is rampant in many parts of the state, especially in tribal-dominated remote districts.
The baby was admitted to Umerkote community health centre (CHC) after his condition deteriorated. Sources said, Durmila Bisi, wife of Jadu Bisi of Mokia village had delivered a male child May 30 at the Chandahandi government hospital.
The woman was discharged but the child cried incessantly after returning home. Jadu suspecting it to be a stomach ailment branded the child with a hot iron nail at several places on his tummy, reports added.
As a result, the health condition of the child deteriorated. Panicked, Jadu and Durmila rushed him to the CHC Tuesday evening where a doctor administered him treatment.
Paediatrician Dr Santosh Kumar Panda, who has been attending to the baby said that the condition of the patient remains critical.
PNN