Branded With Hot Iron, Two-Month-Old Dies In Odisha’s Nuapada

Nuapada: In a shocking incident, a two-month old infant fell victim to superstitious healing practice in Boden block of Odisha’s Nuapada district. The sick baby died on Thursday while undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital after being branded with hot iron.

Sources said, the two-month old son of Laladhar Bacha and Janani, a couple of Kusamkhunta village was not keeping well since birth in December, 2022.

Some villagers advised the couple to seek traditional healing as adopted in the area — branding infant with hot iron tipped with turmeric and other herbs. However, the baby was branded five times, after which his condition worsened. Later, the couple admitted the infant to the district headquarters hospital on Thursday, but he succumbed during treatment.

Chief district medical officer Sudhir Ranjan Nayak had noticed the marks of branding on the body of the baby and later informed local police about it. “The two-month old baby from Boden block had been admitted to the hospital after his condition deteriorated due to branding. The baby had vomited blood during treatment and later died,” he said.

Boden police rushed to the hospital, started an investigation and seized the body for postmortem.

“Police have registered a case in this regard and the cause of the death will be known after the postmortem report,” said Boden IIC Kulamani Buruda.