CHILD DIED FOLLOWING SNAKEBITE

CHILD DIED FOLLOWING SNAKEBITE

7-AUG-ENG 5

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

BHABHUA------------------------------A happy family has been plunged into grief due to superstition in the district. Instead of rushing the children to a hospital during a critical medical emergency like a snakebite, the family resorted to faith healing (exorcism rituals), costing a 9-year-old boy his life, while his younger brother is now battling for survival.

This tragic incident occurred in Ajgara village under the Kudra police station area of ​​Kaimur district. According to reports, Satyendra Baitha’s two sons—9-year-old Dharmveer and 6-year-old Dharmraj—were sleeping soundly on the roof of their house at night when a venomous snake bit both of them.

Although it was crucial to get the children to a hospital immediately after the bite, the family and relatives fell prey to superstition. Instead of seeking proper medical treatment, they took both children to an *ojha* (faith healer) in the nearby Karma village for rituals. This exercise in superstition continued for hours. It was only when the elder brother, Dharmveer, began to deteriorate rapidly and his condition became critical that the family realized the gravity of the situation and rushed them to Mohania Sub-divisional Hospital.

Upon arrival at Mohania Hospital, doctors declared the elder brother, Dharmveer, dead. Meanwhile, observing the younger brother Dharmraj’s unconscious and critical state, doctors administered first aid and referred him to Bhabua Sadar Hospital; subsequently, given his precarious condition, he has been referred to Varanasi (Banaras) for advanced treatment. This unexpected tragedy has devastated the family, leaving the parents inconsolable. A wave of grief has swept through the village following the incident. Expressing deep sorrow, a villager named Mahendra Kumar stated that this tragedy could have been averted had the two children been taken to the hospital in time. The children's father, Satyendra Baitha—who supports his family by working as a laborer—is completely devastated by the tragedy and has appealed to the district administration for financial compensation.

We live in an era of science and technology where medical science has found effective treatments for every disease and poison. Anti-snake venom is available free of charge at every government hospital in the country. Despite this, harmful practices such as relying on traditional healers and superstitious rituals persist in society. This incident serves as a serious warning: in emergencies like snakebites, one must never fall prey to superstition but should instead rush to the nearest hospital to save precious lives.