Sambalpur: The doctors at VIMSAR, Burla have removed a total of 77 injection needles from the head of a girl from Bolangir who fell critically ill after being pierced with needles by a sorcerer to cure her from a prolonged illness.
According to VIMSAR Director Dr. Bhabagrahi Rath, a special team of doctors operated around 11.30 a.m. today. While 70 needles were removed on Friday, seven more needles were removed from the girl’s head today.
“While this incident is rare, it can be taken as a case study in further medical science,” VIMSAR Director Dr. Rath said and appealed that “if anyone else has suffered from this ‘needle therapy’, they should consult a doctor immediately”.
VIMSAR Director said that after the removal of 70 needles during surgery yesterday, another 7 needles were found in the girl’s head after the C-arm fluoroscopy. Dr. Rath said the girl would be discharged after completely recuperating from illness.
Dr. Rabinarayan Guru, Assistant Professor of Surgery Department, who led the doctors’ team for surgery, said that the needle did not penetrate the skull bone of the teenager, but the risk of further infection was higher. He, however, said that the surgery was successful and the victim was out of danger.
Notably, in 2021, Bishnuprasad Behera of Inch village within Sindhikela police limits in Bolangir district approached a sorcerer, Tejaraj Rana of Jamutjhula village, seeking help for her ailing daughter, Reshma. Claiming that Reshma is under the possession of evil spirits, Rana took the girl into a room and performed some tantric rituals for about an hour. It is alleged that Rana pierced the needles into the head of the girl while she was unconscious. The girl’s father also claimed that when he had asked the tantric about the purpose of carrying needles into the room, the latter claimed that it was part of a ritual to free his daughter from demonic possession
After a few days, Reshma started having severe pain in her head and acted as if she had lost his mental balance. A few days ago, when Bishnuprasad spotted and removed a needle from Resma’s head, one by more needles started coming out. As Reshma was believed to be mentally unsound at that time, the family stayed awake all night, initially suspecting that she was doing it herself. Later, when family members suspected that it was the handiwork of the sorcerer, they lodged a complaint against the sorcerer with the police. Based on the complaint, Kantabanjhi police have arrested the sorcerer.
Initially, Reshma was brought to Bhima Bhoi Medical College & Hospital in Bolangir on Thursday in a critical condition. After a CT scan of her head revealed the presence of multiple needle punctures, she was shifted to Burla for surgery.
