Infant branded with hot iron rod to cure respiratory problem dies in Madhya Pradesh

A one-and-half-month-old boy died after he was allegedly branded with a hot iron rod as part of a ritual to cure him of a respiratory ailment in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district, an official said on Saturday.

The infant died while undergoing treatment at the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of the district hospital on Friday, civil surgeon G S Parihar said.

The baby boy had sustained severe injuries after he was branded with a hot iron rod as a cure for his respiratory problems at Bandhwa village, he said.

He was brought to the district hospital on December 21 when his condition deteriorated, the official said, adding that the baby succumbed to pneumonia.