5-month-old girl branded with hot iron in Ajmer

AJMER: A five-month-old girl child was branded with hot iron in Bijaynagar town of Ajmer on Friday morning. Later on, the child was admitted in a government hospital of Beawar in critical condition. No police case has been lodged in the matter yet.
According to sources, one Ramdayal in Bijaynagar had a five-month-old girl child, who fell ill last week.“He took the girl child for treatment to a government dispensary and later to a private hospital of Bhinai but her condition didn’t improve,” a relative of Ramdayal told police.
Someone told Ramdayal that there was a tantrik near Bijaynagar and he took his daughter to him.
“The tantrik told Ramdayal that a black witch was troubling the little girl and she could be treated only by branding with hot iron rod,” said sources.
The girl on Friday morning was branded with hot iron and the tantrik assured that she will be alright soon. However, the condition of the girl worsened and the parents rushed her to Beawar for treatment.
Doctors stated that there were marks of branding with hot iron on the girl’s body and she was in pain. Initially, the child had symptoms of pneumonia and difficulty in breathing.
Several such incidents have been reported in last six months from Ajmer, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh and Rajasmand in which two children died during treatment in Bhilwara and Beawar.
“There is no awareness programme of state government though they talk about saving girl child,” said a social activist.
Sources said that this is a common belief in Ajmer, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh and Rajasmand that newborns suffer from cold and fever because of the evil witch and the tantrik with hot iron branding can destroy evil in the body.
“Medical and health staff is not concerned about making the villagers aware about the evil practice,” added the social activist.