Nabarangpur: A toddler lost his life to hot-iron branding in Jadapara village under the Raighar block of Nabarangpur district, a source said Saturday.
The nine-month-old infant, who passed away, has been identified as Rupesh – the son of Sukadeb Gond from the village.
According to the source, Rupesh was suffering from cough and cold apart from running a fever.
A local ASHA employee visited Sukadeb’s home after learning of Rupesh’s health condition and asked the family to take him to the hospital. However, the family chose traditional medical procedures to treat him.
Subsequently, they invited an elderly traditional healer to their home to cure Rupesh with hot iron branding following which his condition deteriorated.
The ASHA employee dialled 108 ambulances after seeing Rupesh being brandished with hot irons. He was taken to the community health centre in Hatabharandi immediately after his health began to deteriorate.
However, the source informed that Rupesh’s parents took him out of the CHC without informing the medical staff. The CHC doctor has also filed a report at the Kundli police station in this regard.
After bringing him back from the hospital. Rupesh was again brandished with a hot iron at home which led to major burn injuries.
The deceased’s sister informed that they chose the faith healer as his cough did not go away despite visiting various places.
PNN