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A case has been registered against 15 persons linked to the attack on an acupuncture awareness camp held at Kerala’s Kuttiyadi on Saturday, November 8. The incident occurred after a group of people, reportedly relatives of a woman who died of breast cancer, stormed the venue, vandalised equipment, and assaulted the organisers.
According to the police, the accused are relatives of 45-year-old Hajara, a widow and mother of three from Kuttiyadi, who died in August. They allege that certain acupuncturists misled her with false assurances, discouraging her from seeking proper medical treatment.
Eyewitnesses said the attack took place around 11.30 am during a camp organised by Akyush Acupuncture, a private wellness centre. One organiser sustained injuries and later lodged a complaint, following which the case was registered.
Police said the accused had previously filed petitions demanding action against local acupuncture practitioners. They claimed that their earlier complaints were ignored and alleged that authorities acted only after the camp organisers filed a case.
Investigations revealed that Hajara had been undergoing acupuncture therapy for over a year. Her family alleges that a local female practitioner dissuaded her from modern medical treatment, saying that bleeding from her breast was a sign of recovery. She was later referred to a male acupuncturist from Tirur, practising in Kozhikode, who allegedly prescribed a diet of water and dates.
By the time her family took her to hospital, doctors diagnosed her with advanced-stage breast cancer. Despite receiving treatment in Kozhikode and Bengaluru, she died in August.