KOLKATA: A 14-year-old girl Aparupa Biswas was found to have swallowed 10 sharp needles which got stuck at her throat and were successfully removed after a three-and-half-hour long surgery at a government hospital here on Tuesday.
Aparupa is now out of danger and will walk home a few days later with 30 stitches to her throat. The incident came to light when the Krishnanagar (Nadia district) resident complained of throat pain to her parents nine days straight. At first, the parents assumed that the pain was due to cold and themselves administered medicines. However, Aparupa fainted after returning home from school on Monday.
She was immediately admitted to Krishnanagar Hospital who shifted her to a government hospital in Kolkata. During digital x-ray scanning of Aparupa's throat at the Kolkata hospital, ten needles were found stuck to her throat. Preliminary investigation by the police has found that Aparupa was very upset after the death of her elder brother three years ago.
Doctors have also found that the needles were not swallowed all at the same time but over a period of time. It has been found through questioning the patient that she was not forced to swallow the needles but did it voluntarily and intentionally.
Police are probing whether Aparupa's swallowing of needles was a part of any tantric act to attempt to bring back her dead brother 'back to life'. They are also investigating whether she was part of any challenge like 'Blue Whale'. "We hope to unearth the reason behind her swallowing of the needles once she returns back to normalcy after a few days rest. But it would be a matter of great concern if she was lured or influenced by people into doing this. Strict action would be taken against them," a senior police official said.