Chennai: A day after two children, aged six and one, died due to suspected inhalation of toxic fumes from rat poison sprayed in their house by a pest control firm, police arrested one more employee of the firm on Friday.
Police also found that the company staff applied the rodenticide at 12 locations instead of the specified three areas, that too using far more than the required quantity.
While Vishalini, 6, and Sai Sudharsan, 1, died on Thursday, their parents Giridharan, 34, a bank employee, and Pavithra, 31, are still under treatment, unaware of the death of their children. They are now in the ICU of Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre in Porur.
The Kundrathur police had arrested Dhinakaran on Thursday. On Friday, they arrested another employee, Sankardas, on charges of negligence. The owner of the company, Premkumar, is on the run.
Preliminary investigations said the excessive use of rodenticide was the primary cause of the deaths.
Police are also investigating the company's practices. An inquiry is on to find if the firm violated safety guidelines.