A 13-year-old mentally challenged girl, Rupa Jana, was admitted to hospital after being \'treated\' by a quack, Tara Seal, for the last three days in Panihati, North 24-Parganas. Seal was beating up the hapless girl with brooms and brushes every day after tying up her hands and legs to a tree. The quack is absconding.

\"Though we have not yet received a written complaint, we are looking for Seal and have asked the family to lodge one,\" said Barrackpore additional SP Praveen Kumar Tripathy.

Police said Rupa, a resident of Azad Hind Nagar in Panihati, had not been mentally sound since her childhood. Her condition had deteriorated in the last fortnight as she almost stopped eating and speaking. She had also started hurling household items.

Rupa\'s mother Rina then decided to take her to Tara Seal, known as Tara Ma in the locality. For the last three days, the girl was tortured in the name of treatment. On Monday, Rupa could not take it any more and fell unconscious. Locals rushed in and accused Tara of torturing her. The quack said she was treating the girl and that she would soon recover.

Angry locals then informed Panihati Municipality councillor Pankaj Das, who soon arrived with his ward committee members.\"The girl was still being beaten up,\" he said. Rupa was finally taken to Panihati State General Hospital.

Police later learnt that Tara worked as a helper at the same hospital. Her son was earlier arrested in connection with former Dum Dum Municipality chairman Sailen Das\' murder.