Another infant branded with hot iron in Nabarangpur

Nabarangpur, Jan 29: Another eight-day old infant, who was branded with hot iron, has been admitted at district headquarters hospital on Thursday here. The condition of the baby is said to be critical.

Notably, this is the second such incident in the district reported in couple of weeks. Earlier, on Jan 25 a 9-day old infant of Gorama village under Jharigaon block was succumbed to burn injuries district hospital. The infant was also branded with hot iron rod in the name of treatment by a village quack.

As per reports, this time, eight-day son of Mukunda and Kusuma Uttara was suffering from abdominal diseases, for which they called a local quack for treatment. The condition of the baby deteriorated after being branded with hot iron rod.  They admitted the infant to district headquarters hospital here, his condition said to be very critical.

“We have been organising awareness meetings through child protection committees in each gram panchayat. It’s difficult to change age-old superstition in people. We are trying to change. But behavioural changes take time,” said district collector Rashmita Panda.