BHOPAL: A six-month-old infant has nearly lost vision after being hung upside down over a fire by a self-styled sorcerer in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh.
The incident took place on March 13, leading to severe burns on the baby’s face and eyes. The child is currently undergoing treatment at the district hospital.
The baby’s mother, concerned about her child’s illness, took him to ‘tantrik’ Raghuveer Dhakad (50) for a supposed exorcism around 2 pm.
Raghuveer, in the name of ritualistic healing, held the child by his legs and hung him upside down over an open fire. As a result, the child’s face was severely burned, and the corneas of both his eyes were damaged due to the smoke.
The mother immediately rushed the child to Shivpuri District Hospital after the incident.
The matter came to light only recently. To the surprise of police, the child’s parents initially tried to shield Raghuveer, claiming that the child was accidentally injured in a fire while making tea. However, this defense did not hold, and a formal case was registered against tantrik Raghuveer Dhakad.
Talking to local media an ophthalmologist at the district hospital, confirmed that both of the baby’s corneas were burned in the incident. The child’s eyesight prognosis remains uncertain, and doctors will assess whether the child can regain vision within the next 72 hours. The child was in the ICU.
Kolaras police said that given the seriousness of the incident, they have registered a case against Raghuveer Dhakad for hanging the child over the fire. He is absconding, and a search is underway.
