Denied treatment to three-year-old boy who suffered burns: Father, traditional medicine practitioner arrested over child's death

PANAMARAM: Police have arrested the father of a three-year-old boy and a traditional medicine practitioner in the incident where the boy died of burns. Muhammad Asan, son of Wayanad Anchukunnu native Althaf and Safeera, died on June 20. The child's father Althaf (45) and traditional medicine practitioner Kammana Aikarakkudi George (68), who treated the child, were arrested by the Panamaram police on charges of involuntary manslaughter and sections under the Juvenile Justice Act. Police said that George was arrested for denying adequate treatment to the child.

On June 9, Asan suffered serious burns after falling into a bucket filled with hot water. Following this, he was admitted to the Mananthavady Medical College. As the burns were severe, he was referred to the Kozhikode Medical College for expert treatment. However, Althaf took the boy to the traditional medicine practitioner for treatment. As the child's health deteriorated, he was again taken to the Mananthavady Medical College on June 18 and later to the Kozhikode Medical College. However, the child died on June 20.

Police said that Asan was taken to the traditional practitioner instead of the Medical College as per the interest of those, including his father. The child was taken to the Medical College following the intervention of the police. During the investigation, the police found that the child was denied adequate treatment. The traditional practitioner and the boy's father were arrested for not shifting the boy to the hospital despite the boy being in critical condition.