‘Jaadui champi’ to 'treat' baldness costs dear to 70; leaves them with severe eye infection; 1 arrested

Around 70 persons suffered a reaction (irritant conjunctivitis) in their eyes after some oil was applied on their heads as part of “treatment” for baldness at a camp on the premises of Mandir Shree Maha Kali Devi temple in Sangrur on Sunday.

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Hundreds of persons from Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa and other districts had visited the camp to get “treatment” for baldness.

However, after experiencing watering, foreign body sensation and redness in their eyes, many persons reached the Emergency Ward of the Civil Hospital, Sangrur, on Sunday and Monday to get treatment for the reaction.

Dr Shavina Garg, Eye Specialist, Civil Hospital, Sangrur, said that she had examined 46 patients in the OPD on Monday. However, no one had been admitted or referred to any other higher health institution. She said the patients were suffering from reactions (irritant conjunctivitis) with symptoms like watering, foreign body sensation, swelling and redness in the eyes. The patients had been given antibiotic steroids and lubricating eye drops, she added.

Baldev Singh Janooha, father of an affected boy, Pardeep Singh, said that a man at the camp had applied some oil on his son’s head and asked him to wash it after 10-15 minutes. He said when his son washed his head with water, severe irritation and watering started in his eyes. He said when he saw his son in severe pain, he took him to the Civil Hospital. “He is now recovering,” he added.

Station House Officer (SHO) of the City Police Station, Sangrur, Inspector Manpreet Singh said that the police had registered an FIR against two persons, Tejinderpal Singh (Sangrur) and Amandeep Singh (Khanna), under Section 124 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 7 of the Drug and Magic Remedies Act. Tejinderpal Singh had been arrested while Amandeep Singh was absconding, the SHO added.