HomeCommunity IssuesFather sues. Says son branded with hot iron rod by temple

Father sues. Says son branded with hot iron rod by temple

A father in Houston could not believe the burns he saw on his son’s shoulder- burns he says that were left by a hot iron rod as part of a religious ritual conducted by a Hindu temple.

“I was shocked. I didn’t know how to handle it. My primary concern is for my son’s well-being,” Vijay Cheruvu said to KHOU.

He is suing the Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugarland, TX saying a boy shouldn’t have been allowed to make a decision about whether to take part in such a ceremony.

According to his lawsuit, 100 adults and three minors participated in the ritual which left an image of a Hindu god on their bodies. The father said the branding left his son in severe pain.

“He started crying. Then he came out and told me the whole story, and I’m like you kept this hidden this long. This is so traumatic. I was traumatized. I couldn’t do anything to protect my son,” Cheruvu said to FOX26.

A spokesperson for the temple told FOX26 the branding is part of a “ritual.”

Cheruvu is estranged from his ex-wife who took her son to the temple, but who did not take part in the ceremony.

FOX26 reports Supriya Raman Sripada faced charges of injuring a child, but a grand jury concluded there was not enough evidence to support the criminal charge.

Cheruvu’s attorney Brant Stogner said the ritual is not widely used in Hindu temples. According to a statement from the boy read by Stagner, he said he did not understand what was about to happen.

“He said, ‘I had no idea this was going to happen, they did it on my other shoulder,’” co-counsel Andrew Williams said.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Child abuse under guise of “religious freedom”??? Only in Texas – mother can do anything with a child but get away scot-free … clearly they don’t care a hoot about what happens to the children they are supposed to protect

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