The incident has sparked outrage on social media.
In a shocking incident, a one-year-child was reportedly wrapped in banana leaves and made to lie on embers as part of a ritual during Muharram in Dharwad's Kundgol district near Hubli in Karnataka. A video of the incident is also doing the rounds.
In a video of the incident, a man can be seen placing the toddler wrapped in banana leaves on a charcoal bed in Allapur in Dharwad district during Muharram observance.
The video showed the baby crying and struggling to escape the heat as smoke kept emanating from the charcoal.
"The parents of the baby had prayed for a boy two years ago. On their wish being fulfilled, they had come to fulfil their promise. The baby was placed on a bed of charcoal that was doused off. As it was slightly hot, banana leaves were used. It was for just couple of seconds," police said.
The police said no case has been registered in connection with the bizarre ritual, but added the Child Welfare Committee has been informed with a request to counsel the parents.
The incident has come to light only a few days after the Karnataka cabinet cleared its much-awaited legislation to end "inhuman evil practices", popularly known as the anti- superstition bill.
The proposed 'Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017' - to be tabled in the next assembly session - seeks to prohibit coercing any person or persons to perform fire walk.
Earlier, the Bombay High Court had weighed in on the Muharram debate wondering if minors should be allowed to participate.
The Bombay High Court had asked the city police to ensure that no minor carries sharp weapons and hurt themselves during the annual Muharram procession. The circular mandated senior police officials of various police stations to hold meetings with Mohalla Committees prior to Muharram to ensure that children do not participate in the ritual, they use no sharp weapons in the procession and the entire procession be video-graphed.
The police today told the court that they had held a meeting with several community leaders who gave an undertaking that children would not use or carry weapons and sharp objects during the procession and that they would not hurt themselves.
Muharram is a day of bereavement, when Muslims give to charity, observe fasts and pray in remembrance of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed who was martyred some 1330 years ago at Karbala in Iraq
More details awaited.
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