Watan-A five-year-old child suffering from terminal cancer passed away after an attempt to treat him through a ritualistic immersion in the waters of the Ganges River in India.
The child died after being submerged in the river for an extended period, as the “Ganges” is considered sacred in Hinduism, believed to possess healing properties.
Police reported that the child, who had leukemia, died after being submerged by his parents in the river flowing through northern India in a “mythical” attempt to cure him.
According to reports, the family traveled from their home in Delhi to Haridwar on Tuesday to perform rituals and prayers for the child.
The family, accompanied by their child and a relative identified as their aunt, according to local media, was recognized by their taxi driver.
The driver stated that the child appeared “extremely ill,” and doctors in the capital had given up on saving him, prompting the family to attempt Hindu rituals for his treatment.
A video showed the parents reciting prayers while their “aunt” held the child underwater.
Passersby requested the family to stop, but they continued holding the boy underwater, considering it sacred in Hinduism.
Some intervened when the family refused to stop, and the video showed the “aunt” attempting to assault onlookers as they tried to pull the child out of the water.
The child was taken out of the water and transported to the hospital, where doctors officially declared his death.
In the video, the “aunt” can be heard screaming that the child will come back to life.
All family members were taken in for questioning, according to the police.
Haridwar City Police Chief Swatantra Kumar stated, “It seems they brought the child here because they believed that bathing in the Ganges would heal him.”
The Ganges River holds significant religious and cultural importance for Hindus and is central to the founding history of India. Hindus bathe in the river, considering it a manifestation of all sacred waters in religious myths.
The river is believed to have spiritual properties capable of “washing away sins.” It is also said that death on the riverbanks or cremation nearby ensures “instant salvation.”
