8-year-old dies after suspected pesticide exposure in rented house

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Father, mother recovering in hospital; doctors suspect contaminated water used in coffee making caused girl’s death

Bengaluru: An eight-year-old girl died from suspected pesticide exposure in Bengaluru's Vasanth Nagar on August 2. After experiencing respiratory difficulties, the girl and parents were rushed to Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital in Vasanth Nagar. The family hails from Kannur, Kerala.

The family left Bengaluru on Friday, July 29, for their hometown Kannur after their landlord assured them that painting and pest control would be done.

Vinod Kumar, an MBA graduate working for a corporate firm in Bengaluru, his wife Nisha, and their daughter Ahaana came back at 5:30 a.m. on August 1. "The family slept until 7:30 a.m., then brewed coffee using the water that was already in the home." They then went back to sleep. "After some time, owing to breathing issues, all three of them awoke and called an ambulance," said their relative.

Because the hospital was only a few kilometres away, the ambulance arrived as soon as the family called about 11.30 a.m. The ambulance transported Vinod and Ahaana to the hospital in the first round, then returned to the house and took Nisha in the second round. Around 1.30 p.m., the child passed away.

Doctors suspect that the family breathed hazardous vapours left behind by pesticides used for cleaning while the parents are still receiving treatment and are disoriented. It is also alleged that chemicals used for pest control polluted the water which was used to make coffee.

The child's body was sent for post-mortem examination, and the High Grounds Police Station is investigating which pesticide was used.

According to initial reports, the parents are distraught, and the mother has yet to learn of her child's death. Based on a complaint from Vinod's cousin, the owner of the residence has been charged under Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code for causing death by carelessness. According to the authorities, the owner bought a cleaner from the business and utilised it. He has not yet been arrested.

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