Bhubaneswar, Aug. 27: Six kids were today admitted to Ummerkote hospital in Nabarangpur district, about 550km from here, after their health conditions deteriorated due to branding with hot iron nails on their stomachs.

The incident has once again exposed how people in the tribal areas continue to maintain their faith on the belief to cure their children by branding them with the help of quacks.

All the children - aged between two and six years - belonged to Pujaripada village under Ummerkote block. Police are searching for the quack, who had administered the heat treatment to the kids.

The kids' parents told the authorities that their wards had developed fever and stomach pain. On hearing this, the local quack, known as Dishari, asked them to make the kids undergo the "traditional" treatment.

Doctors attending to the children said such unscientific practice was highly painful for a child. "The tribal people are still superstitious. By branding pain on the veins, the pain becomes more acute rather than giving them relief. No medical science supports such treatment. An awareness campaign should be launched among the villagers to stop this," said psychiatrist Seema Parija.

A health official said steps were being taken to boost the health care system in the remote and inaccessible pockets. "We have already launched an awareness campaign in the district by panchayat level child welfare committees," he said.

In another development, one child died at Kashipur eating mango kernel gruel in Rayagada district. With this, the number of deaths after eating mango kernel reached two. The deceased have been identified as Ranjan Kumar Majhi, 12, and Shiva Majhi, 60. Rayagada additional district magistrate Laxmikanta Behera said: "Inquiry is on whether they had consumed mango kernel or it was a case of food poisoning."

Ranjan's father said: "As we had no food to eat, we depend on mango kernel gruels and other root foods."