Rajasthan family burns 10-month-old baby with hot needle on neck, forehead

Banswara (Rajasthan): A 10-month-old baby was allegedly burnt on the neck and forehead using a hot iron needle in Rajasthan’s Banswara as part of a superstitious ritual to cure him of an illness.

According to medical officials, the condition of the baby is critical and he is being treated at a hospital in Udaipur.

The boy named Devla, son of Nandlal, is a resident of Tejpur village and was suffering from an ailment for 10 days, a report in NDTV said. His parents took him to various local quacks but he could not be cured. Eventually, they fell into a superstitious trap. The lit a pyre in the middle of the road in Bhupendra Bazaar trash, put an iron needle inside the fire and when it turned hot, it was placed on boy’s head and back of his neck. The boy cried in pain and the iron needle left strong burn marks on him.

Chief Medical and Health Officer S L Ninama condemned the incident and said the people from the tribal area do not take proper medical facility and often fall prey to such practices.

"Till now the people from tribal area follows blind rituals in the name of treatment. They do not take proper medication but prefer these superstitious beliefs which are absolutely incorrect," Ninama said.

He further said strict action should be taken against the people practising such things.

(With inputs from ANI)