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An Indian-origin man has filed a lawsuit against a Hindu temple and its parent organisation in the US, seeking over $1 million in damages after his 11-year-old son was branded with a hot iron rod during a religious ceremony last year. The 11-year-old was branded with a hot rod on two spots on his shoulder in the shape of Hindu God Vishnu.

The incident, which occurred at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Hindu temple in Sugar Land, Texas, in August, left the boy with extreme pain and permanent disfigurement.

Vijay Cheruvu, who lives in Fort Bend County, Texas, spoke about the incident at a press conference, expressing shock and concern for his son’s well-being.

“I was shocked. I didn’t know how to handle it. My primary concern is for my son’s well-being,” Cheruvu said at a press conference, reported PTI.

According to the lawsuit filed in Fort Bend County, Cheruvu is seeking over $1 million in damages from the temple and its parent organisation, Jeeyar Educational Trust (JET) USA Inc.

BOY BRANDED WITHOUT FATHER’S CONSENT

In the Sri Ashtalakshmi temple ceremony, it involved over 100 participants, including three children, one of whom was Cheruvu’s son.

The boy was branded with the hot iron rod against his will and without his father’s knowledge or consent. Cheruvu’s former wife took the boy to the temple.

Brant Stogner, Cheruvu’s lawyer, pointed out that branding, tattooing, or scarring a child is against the law in Texas, even if parents agree.

He also mentioned that the boy experienced severe pain, permanent disfigurement, and got an infection from the branding.

The child, whose identity is kept secret, described his experience in a statement, expressing surprise and pain from the branding.

“I was so surprised. I did not know that anything was going to happen like this. I was shocked when they did it on my shoulder and it hurt so much that I almost cried. They knew what they did was very wrong because they told me to keep it secret from everyone else. But I had to tell my dad when the pain got worse, and it became infected,” the boy said.

Cheruvu said that his ex-wife took their son to the temple, but she was not branded.

“He goes to see a therapist. He’s so deeply scarred, mentally scarred, and then there’s all the pain,” said the father.

Despite attempts to reach out to the temple for comments, there has been no response to calls or emails, reported PTI.