Bhubaneswar: Two minor tribal girls, aged three and six, died and their father and a sister are in a serious condition after allegedly consuming Sattu (roasted gram flour), supplied by a local Anganwadi Centre in Odisha’s Gajapati district.
The incident has been reported from Ramagiri village under R Udayagiri block.
Authorities have collected the bag of Sattu from the house of the deceased and sent the content for tests. Anganwadi workers have also been directed not to distribute any more Sattu till the test results arrive. The bodies of the two children have also been sent for autopsy, to ascertain the exact cause of death.
On Sunday afternoon, an ASHA worker spotted children of the Badamundi family in distress at their house and alerted others. All four members of the family were rushed to the Ramagiri primary health centre. They were throwing up continuously and complaining of severe abdominal pain.
The doctor at the village health centre referred them to the District Headquarters Hospital at Parlakhemundi after administering first aid. However, Tulsi Badamundi (6) died in the ambulance, while Gunabati Badamundi (3) died at the district hospital. Their father Arjun Badamundi and a minor sister are in critical condition.
Doctors are trying to ascertain what could have caused such severe poisoning. The Sattu in question was supplied by Hatpada Anganwadi Centre in the village. Authorities are also trying to find out from where the Sattu was sourced by the district administration before being sent to such centres for distribution.
“Had the contamination been widespread, other villagers would also have been affected. We are checking the entire lot,” an official said.
