In a freak incident, four children, aged below six years, had consumed a beverage reportedly laced with pesticide at a mango garden at Alattur village of B.N. Kandriga mandal in the district on Sunday evening, and were shifted to the SVRR Hospital at Tirupati as their condition turned critical.
According to the police, the four kids – Lakshmi (3), Ashwini (5), Ammulu (3) and Praveen (5) – of two families at nearby Pattabhi Colony were playing in the orchard when they found a beverage bottle under a tree along with some polythene glasses. The curious children drank the contents, thinking that it was a cool drink. In a few minutes, they developed vomiting and blurred vision, and fell unconscious in the fields. Some farmers returning home found the children on ground with frothing mouths. They were taken to the area hospital at Srikalahasti and later shifted to the SVRR Hospital in Tirupati.
Suicide plan?
Sub-inspector Ram Mohan, who rushed to the spot, said that an empty liquor bottle was found there. “We have preliminary information that some unknown persons came to the isolated place reportedly to commit suicide. It seems the plan was abandoned and they might have left after consuming liquor but abandoning the beverage bottle laced with poison,” the police officer said.
He said while three children were responding to treatment, one girl child’s condition had worsened.
A case has been registered and further investigation is on.