INDORE: A 40-day-old girl was burnt on the chest with hot iron rods as part of a superstitious ritual to cure pneumonia, in Ujjain district. She was rushed to a hospital in Ratlam in a critical condition on Tuesday.

Shivani, daughter of Seema Prajapati and Jagdish Prajapati, was admitted to the Ratlam Children’s Hospital with severe burn wounds on the chest, inflicted with hot iron rod, Dr AP Singh, the doctor treating the child, told TOI.

Seema told the doctors that the girl was treated at hospitals in Ujjain and Nagda for pneumonia. Though she was not completely cured, Shivani was discharged and taken home to Kilodia village, near Nagda.

The child was suffering from breathing distress. Her grandmother took the child to a healer, who burnt her chest with iron rod as part of his ritual to rid her of her distress, Dr Singh said.

“The girl has developed septicaemia (infection) and her condition is critical,” he said."But we are hopeful that she can be cured.”

The doctors have informed the Ratlam police about the incident.