Six-month-old injured by sorcerer's 'exorcism' ritual in MP

Bhopal: In a harrowing incident, a six-month-old infant sustained severe burns in what authorities describe as a barbaric act of "exorcism."

Raghuveer Yadav, a self-proclaimed sorcerer, inflicted severe eye injuries on a child during a ritual.

The child's desperate mother sought help from a sorcerer to cure her son's illness, leading to the horrific incident on Thursday, police said.

Under the guise of performing a healing ritual, Raghuveer subjected the infant to unimaginable cruelty—suspending him upside down over an open flame, which scorched the child's delicate face and caused irreparable damage to his corneas.

The mother, horrified by the outcome, rushed her son to the Shivpuri District Hospital, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit.

According to Dr. Girish Chaturvedi, the attending ophthalmologist, the child's condition is currently critical, he stated in a phone call to IANS.

"The corneas, particularly in the right eye, have suffered irreversible damage due to the fire and smoke. It is uncertain whether his eyesight can be restored. When the child was brought in, he was severely dehydrated, and immediate care was necessary to stabilise him," Chaturvedi explained.

The parents took the child out of the hospital on Saturday morning, saying they would seek further treatment in Gwalior. However, their actions hindered the investigation, as they reportedly tried to protect the sorcerer, falsely claiming the burns resulted from an accidental fire while the mother was making tea.

Despite these efforts to obscure the truth, Superintendent of Police Aman Singh Rathore ensured that a case was registered.

The village Kotwar, Janved Parihar, was named as the complainant in the case.

Chaturvedi, deeply moved by the child’s plight, took to social media to demand strict action against the perpetrator. His post has garnered attention, amplifying public outrage and calls for justice for the innocent victim.

(inputs from IANS)