Hunger drives 10-year-old boy to consume poison in MP: Rights group

An investigation by the National Commission of Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has revealed that a 10-year- old tribal boy from a village in Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh consumed insecticide to fulfil his hunger, the boy, who is undergoing treatment at a local hospital, is said to be out of danger now.

The incident which took place on December 29 last year in Ponbatta village came to light after it became viral on social media last Monday.

The team of National Commission of Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had taken cognizance of the matter and its team visited the village on Saturday.

Raghvendra Sharma, chairman of state commission for protection of child rights, said, “The boy told the team that there was no food in the house and he was so hungry that he drank whatever he could lay his hands on, however, the family jointly owns 19 bigha of land.”

The team also found that the boy’s parents who had gone to Kota, Rajashtan to work as labourers, had last taken ration from the public distribution system (PDS) shop in November.

After boy consumed poison some villagers took him to a local hospital from where he was referred to Ratlam in the evening.

Nanuram, the boy’s father, who returned from Kota said, “there was no ration in my house but the administration is trying to suppress the matter by showing ration kept

First Published: Jan 08, 2019 23:59 IST