(Web Desk) - Superstition claimed the life of a five-year-old in India's Haridwar.
The parents of the child, who was terminally ill, submerged him in the Ganges again and again, hoping for a “miracle cure”.
The family ended up killing the child. The incident took place in Haridwar’s Har Ki Pauri.
The family from Delhi arrived at Har Ki Pauri with their 5-year-old child. The parents of the child were accompanied by another family member.
They took the child for a dip in the holy river, but the child died in the process.
A video from Haridwar shows a woman sitting with the child's body, with the onlookers condemning her. The woman, seen laughing in a half-crazed manner, can be heard saying, "This child will stand up. That is my promise."
Upon receiving the information, the police rushed to the scene and took the child to the district hospital, where the doctors declared the child dead. The child's body has been sent for post-mortem.
According to Superintendent of Police (City) Swatantra Kumar Singh, the couple had brought their son, who was suffering from blood cancer, for a dip in the Ganges River in Haridwar.
The child's parents revealed that they had consulted doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, but the doctors had given up on the child.
In their blind faith, the family took the child to Haridwar, hoping a dip in the Ganges would cure him. The locals present at the spot, however, grew suspicious of the family’s behaviour and a commotion took place. The locals accused the family of drowning the child.
According to the taxi driver who drove the family from Delhi to Haridwar, the child appeared unwell right from the beginning of the journey, and by the time they reached Haridwar, the child's condition had worsened.
The taxi driver said that the family spoke about the child’s deteriorating health and bathing in Ganges.
The police have registered a case and further investigation in the case is under way.