Balasore: In a tragic incident, at least three children were hospitalised in a critical condition after they reportedly consumed pesticide mistaking it for salt in Balasore district of Odisha on Thursday. The shocking mishap occured in Salabani village of Mahisapata panchayat in Nilagiri block of the district. 

The minors were identified as Babula Singh's son Yuvraj Singh (8), Akshaya Singh's daughter Indurekha (5) and Ramesh Singh's son Ghanshyam (4). 

As per reports, the children had stepped out of their homes to play in the afternoon. They were engaging in play cooking. After making small piles of sand to serve make-belief dishes, one of them went inside and got thimet, a highly toxic insecticide used in agricultural crops, mistaking it for cooking salt. The trio then mixed the chemical with chopped onions and consumed it. Sources said their parents were in the field for paddy harvesting when the incident took place. 

Children started showing poisoning symptoms by evening

By evening, the children started showing symptoms of poisoning. They complained of nausea, vomitting and severe discomfort after which their parents rushed them to Nilagiri Sub Divisional Hospital (SDH). Despite immediate medical attention, the condition of the children turned critical. Doctors referred them to the Medical College in Balasore for advanced treatment. Later, one of them, Yuvraj, became serious and had to be shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack

The incident has sparked serious concern among locals regarding storage of hazardous and poisonous chemicals at home which children can easily access. 

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