Three Children Fall Ill After Mistaking Insecticide for Salt in Balasore

Bhubaneswar: Three children from Shalabani village of Mahisapatta panchayat in Nilagiri block of Balasore district were hospitalized on Thursday after they accidentally consumed Thimet, a highly toxic pesticide, mistaking it for salt while playing.

According to local sources, Babula Singh’s son Yuvraj Singh (8); Akshay Singh’s daughter Indurekha Singh (5); and Ramesh Singh’s son, Ghanashyam Singh, 4, were playing a traditional mud kitchen game using coconut shells on Thursday afternoon.

When preparing fanciful meals, they reportedly scooped soil into shells to mimic cooking. It was alleged that during the game, one of the children took a packet of Thimet from a house, believing it to be salt. The chemical was mixed with chopped onions and consumed unconsciously.

By evening, all three developed symptoms of poisoning, including nausea, severe discomfort and dizziness. Panicked, their family members rushed them to Nilagiri Sub District Hospital. As their condition worsened, they were shifted to Remuna Medical College and Hospital in Balasore for further treatment.

Till the latest reports came in, one of the children was in critical condition and was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

The incident caused concern among villagers and health officials and highlighted the dangers of improperly storing hazardous farm chemicals within reach of children.