MALKANGIRI: Inability to fund their newborn’s surgery forced a couple of Malkangiri to brand their 12-day-old son with a hot iron in Andhari village under Khairput block on Monday.   The baby, which received the inhuman treatment at the hands of a disari (traditional healer), is critical and under observation. Bhanu Padal of the village went into labour on February 28 and her husband Madan admitted her to community health centre at Mathili where she gave birth to the boy.

However, the doctors told the Padal couple that anus of the newborn was closed.

The baby was immediately shifted to district headquarters hospital in Malkangiri town and again referred to Saheed Laxman Naik Medical College and Hospital (MCH) at Koraput. At the MCH, doctors told the couple that the baby has to be operated upon immediately. 

Unable to afford the surgery expense, the couple returned home and took the help of a local disari, who branded the infant with a hot iron rod on Monday.

The condition of the baby has become critical after the traditional treatment.The couple has now appealed the district administration to provide financial assistance for conducting the life-saving surgery on the child.