Karnataka: Infant placed on burning coal during Muharram ritual

Bengaluru: A one-year-old baby from Karnataka was reportedly wrapped in banana leaves and made to lie down on a bed of hot coals.

The incident took place at Karnataka's Kundgol town near Hubli. The act is believed to be part of Muharram rituals.

In yet another shocking incident, several girls dressed up like goddesses were made to participate bare-chested at a festival in Tamil Nadu's Vellalur.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Karnataka cabinet decided to ban various superstitious rituals such as women parading naked, people rolling over leftover food in Hindu temples and human or animal sacrifices across the state.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said that his government was committed to bringing a law against superstitious acts. He is confident that the law will be passed in the ensuing assembly session.

The state government has been under pressure from civil society groups to amend the anti-superstition law after the murder of rationalist M M Kalburgi in August 2016.