DHENKANAL: Superstition related to branding of children to cure them of common ailments refuses to stop in tribal-dominated blocks of the district. Several children were branded with hot iron rod by a village quack in Thoriasanda near Jamunakote in Bhuban block on Monday morning.
Sources said as per tribal rituals on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, community members of Konda and Munda took their children to the house of a quack who branded them with hot iron to cure their stomach pain and other ailments.
On being informed, a four-member team of Child Welfare Committee (CWC) from the district headquarters led by Dr Premananda Sahoo visited the village and inquired into the matter. The parents, suspecting stomach pain of their children, consulted the village quack who applied hot iron branding on the tummy of the children inflicting minor injury. The victims are in the age group of one to 12 years, he said.
Though health officials like ANM and ASHA worker have been posted in the panchayat, they have failed to convince the villagers apprehending attack from the tribals who observe their rituals strictly, the CWC members said.
Dr Sahoo said local police and other Government authorities have been informed about the incident. A fact finding report will be submitted to the Collector on Tuesday seeking his intervention in the matter.
Recommendations will be given for providing free health services and regular health awareness camps in the tribal-dominated village.SP Basant Kumar Panigrahi said no complaint has been filed yet. However, they have detained two persons to question about the incident.