Even in this 21st Century, people believe in superstitions in several Odisha districts.

This came to the fore yet again when a couple took their dead daughter to a tantric and conducted around 12 hours of rituals to make her alive again. The incident was reported from Burupada village of Ganjam district.

They reportedly continued even after the child was declared dead at a private clinic and a government hospital.

The funeral was finally conducted late Sunday night only after a police team from Jarada police station persuaded the family to accept the death.

According to police sources, they had to intervene as a large crowd hadgathered in front of the family’s house to witness the ‘miracle’.

According to sources, Manavi, the two-year-old daughter of Lambodar Raul and Laxmi Raul of Burupada, had suddenly become ill and became unconscious on Sunday morning. She was immediately taken to a private clinic at Patrapur, where the doctor declared her dead. The couple then took the child to the Chikiti Community Health Centre (CHC), where the doctors confirmed her dead.

But Lambodar did not believe the doctors and started meeting various self-proclaimed tantrics in his area. One of them agreed to perform the rituals, but despite spending money , nothing happened.

J. Suresh of the Humanist and Rationalist Organisation (HRO) of Berhampur urged the government to take up scientific temperament building measures in the rural areas to end such practices.