The Jajpur Road police on Friday arrested Dillip Bindhani of Padmapur village for allegedly branding his five-year-old granddaughter with a hot iron rod for disobedience.
Bindhani was arrested under Secs 341 and 326 of IPC after being detained on Thursday for questioning.
“I branded her out of anger. If you hang me for that then I am prepared for it,” Bindhani had confessed on Thursday.
The child, meanwhile, has been admitted to a Government-run healthcare facility at Nachuni in a critical condition. She would be kept there for two weeks before she is moved to a child care institute, said Chairperson of Jajpur District Child Protection Unit Bidyutlata Das, who met the girl on Friday. On Thursday, neighbours had alleged that the girl was confined to a room and subjected to inhuman torture by way of branding her with hot iron objects since Monday. The girl was then rescued with the help of police. The girl’s father had deserted her mother and married another woman a few years ago. later, her mother too tied knot with another man, leaving her in the care of the woman’s father. The neighbours alleged that the man had been assaulting frequently.