Child dies after consuming soft drink; TN govt orders probe

An eight-year-old girl died and three of her siblings took ill after allegedly consuming suspected contaminated soft drink in Cuddalore district, prompting Tamil Nadu government to order a probe and a crackdown during which hundreds of bottles of the beverage with crossed expiry date were seized on Monday.

Four children, including a three-year old boy, of Anjapuli of Therku Seplanatham village, a contract labourer, developed symptoms of nausea, vomitting, abdominal pain and breathing difficulty on Sunday night after consuming the popular brand soft drink in pet bottles he had brought home, police said.

Soon, they were rushed to a hospital in Cuddalore. Late in the night, Abirami died without responding to treatment.

Her ten-year old sister and the brother were being treated in Cuddalore, while another sister has been shifted to Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry where she is on ventilator support, deputy director (Health) KR Jawaharlal said. The state government ordered a probe into the incident.

‘The Food Safety Department has been asked to find out the source of suspected contamination and the reason for its occurrence,’ a senior state health department official requesting anonymity said. Authorities in Cuddalore district raided shops and eating joints in various places, including the children’s village, and seized 1,000 bottles, including 200 of the same batch of the soft drink which was consumed by the victims.