Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Umerkote, Jul 14:

Despite Nabarangpur district administration’s awareness programmes and arrest of Disaris (local faith healer), there seems to be no end to the menace of branding infants with a hot iron for curing them of illnesses in this tribal dominated district of Odisha.

child branding

Yet again a one and a half-month-old infant of the district has been allegedly branded by a Disari to cure illness. The infant’s condition is said to be critical.

According to reports, a local Disari has subjected the one and a half-month-old son of Dikchand of Khandsar village under Jharigan block to branding at more than 15 places on his body including the head.

The child had a wound on its head and was first taken to public health centres at Jharigan and Umerkote for treatment by his family members. As the wound didn’t heal, family members took him to the village Disari, who branded him at over 15 places on his body, reports said.

It may be mentioned here that to check recurrence of such incidents the district administration had taken up an awareness programme for Disaris named Campaign Jyoti.

Through this program, all Disaris in the district were identified with an aim to make them aware about the medical and legal implications of their superstitious practices.

Recently Nabarangpur district collector was honoured by the state government for this innovative project.

This incident has again hinted that much more has to be done to end the menace.