Haridwar, January 25: A seven-year-old boy, suffering from blood cancer, was allegedly dipped in the Ganga river in Haridwar until he suffocated to death, police said on Wednesday. Police said that the boy's parents, who had brought him to the banks of Har-Ki-Pauri, were hoping for a "miracle cure" after the doctors said that the child would never win the battle against cancer.

The superstitious parents thought that if their son, ailing from blood cancer, would take a Gangasnan (dip in holy Ganga), he would be cured of the disease," City Superintendent of Police Swatantra Kumar said. Superstition Takes Life in Haridwar: Boy With Blood Cancer Dies After Aunt Forces Him to Submerge in Ganga River for 'Miracle Cure', Disturbing Video Surfaces.

Boy with Blood Cancer Suffocates to Death After Ganga Dip in Haridwar

"The aunt of the boy dipped him in front of his parents. The child was screaming at first, but later the loud cries stopped. Bystanders rushed the child to the hospital, where he was declared dead," he said. Uttarakhand: Wild Elephant Enters Court Premises After Breaking Main Gate in Haridwar, Video Surfaces.

The police officer said that further actions would be initiated once the postmortem report of the deceased is out. An investigation into this matter is underway. Further details are awaited.

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)